Where the Light Exists
by cookey cat
Summary: literati. rory works at the new york times. luke and lorelai are living together but they're not married...yet. she runs into a few old friends and one guy she never forgot.PLEASE REVIEW
1. Bottom of the Bottom

The bitter sounds of silence woke her from her sleep. She was alone and not quite used to it yet. She got out of bed and gazed through her window. The soft petals of rain drizzled the road, drowning those bellow. She suddenly felt sorry for them and wished she could help.  
  
She turned around, facing her empty bed. The sheets were in disarray and the comforter on the floor. The longer she looked at it, the more she wanted to cry. She missed him. She wished he were here. She wanted to touch him, to feel him, to feel his heart racing against hers. She wanted to wake- up all the time to find him holding onto her as if she were to fall. 'It's good to want things,' she said to herself. It never helped, however sad she was feeling.  
  
Sometimes she could still feel his lips on hers and she would start to cry. She took comfort on the chair by the window. She stared blankly out the hollow glass that shielded her from the entire world. Slowly, her eye-lids closed, carrying the sweet scent of him with her.  
  
*Flashback*  
  
"I thought you said you didn't read much.? She said confused.  
  
"Weeelll. What is much..? He said suspiciously sly while he shrugged.  
  
They both started walking away.  
  
"G'night Dodger." she said, calling over her shoulder.  
  
"Dodger.?" he said, clueless.  
  
"Figure it out," she called back. No later than 3 seconds, he shouted,  
  
"Oliver Twist."  
  
She continued walking, smiling to herself.  
  
*End flashback*  
  
She woke up to the harmonious sounds of her alarm clock. She sighed and got off the comfy chair, to start prepping for yet another day at work. She walked to the mirror and gazed at herself. Her tear- stained face made her look unattractive. "Rory Gilmore, welcome to you hell hole." She said to herself.  
  
She showered and got dressed. She decided to wear a knee length black skirt with a black knitted shirt with short heeled sandals with tiny straps. All the black brought out the best in her figure.  
  
Rory exited the well to - do building of a home and walked down the street. She always stopped at a little coffee place before facing work. The coffee place was called 'Joe's'. Very cliché, but she liked the man who worked there. He reminded her of Luke. Believe it or not, his name was Joe. He was a great friend and supplier to her, nothing more and nothing less.  
  
"I'm Rory and I have a caffination problem!" Rory said jokingly while entering the not - too shabby coffee house.  
  
"Hi Rory!" Joe said. The both shared a minute of laughter.  
  
"Coffee?" asked Joe.  
  
"Why do you ask? You know what the answer is." He smiled and brought her, her coffee.  
  
"Excuse me? Coffee-man? I don't recall asking fore coffee!" she said, toying with his mind. He gave her a stern look and she laughed and took the coffee.  
  
"Banter is not your forte Joe. Work on that." She ordered him.  
  
"Mentally noted." They smiled and he waved her off as she exited the shop.  
  
She finally arrived at work. She passed her co- workers swiftly while smiling. Confidence streaked her every more.  
  
"Gilmore you were 5 minutes close to being late!" Rory gasped and balanced her shaking body.  
  
"You're not funny Sara!!" Said Rory, her words faltering their every meaning. Sara was Rory's friend from college; they've been inseparable ever since. They both walked into Rory's spacious office at the New York Times.  
  
"I still hate you for this office!" Screamed Sara.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry, I don't care!" Rory smiled and so did Sara. "And what are you talking about; your office is just as big!"  
  
"No it's not! I don't have a window either!" complained Sara.  
  
"Ah suck it up!" said Rory and Sara laughed at Rory's assertiveness.  
  
"So.whatcha up to tonight?" asked Sara.  
  
"Umm.nothing really...." She just realized how pathetic her life was. Rory stood by the window with both hands on her hips.  
  
"Come on!" said Sara, "you can't, not do anything."  
  
"What if I'm working towards becoming a hermit?" asked Rory. Sara gave her a skeptical look. "Fine!" she cried. "What're YOU doing?" asked Rory.  
  
"I'm going clubbing!" said Sara proudly.  
  
"Oh, where to?"  
  
"Cream, it's on Columbus Ave., between 71st and 72nd Street."  
  
"Is it any good?" asked Rory.  
  
"Yea, its great. you should come." Sara suggested.  
  
"Oh, I dunno. I'm not really the dancing kind of person."  
  
"Well I'm not taking no as an answer!" said Sara.  
  
"(Sigh) fine." Rory gave in.  
  
"Woo hoo!" said Sara, "Pick ya up at 7."  
  
"Okay." And with that, Sara walked out.  
  
The whole day was tiresome. She was kind of looking forward to going to 'Cream' tonight. She walked home and took a shower. When she finished, she raided her closet for something nice. She picked out a blue flowered white halter dress that had a tie in the back with white sandals. She decided to leave her hair down. She was ready and she had 30 minutes to spare.  
  
She walked into the study where all of her books were. They were everywhere. Shelves filled with books; all kinds of books. She pulled a beige book off the shelf and sat at the chair by the window.  
  
"Chapter 1," she read, "Robert Cohn was once middle weight boxing champion of Princeton.... I can't!" She cried. She closed the book shut and placed it in her lap. Her fingers danced upon the gold engraved title. "The Sun Also Rises,' she choked out. She threw the book aniley across the table. She sobbed in her hands, ruining the eye- liner she had on. She finally stopped and washed her face to reapply the eye- liner and blush. By ten there was a knock upon the door.  
  
"My- my. don't we look pretty." Said Sara. Rory only half smiled. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Aw, nothing." she lied completely through her teeth. She started walking away when Sara pulled her arm.  
  
"Hey! You can tell me if anything's wrong ya know!" said Sara, Rory just nodded.  
  
She started walking away again and Sara pulled at her arm and said, "You miss him. don't you..?" Rory never turned her head to look at her, but just nodded. Sara embraced her and told her it would be okay. They walked into the club and Rory walked over to the bar. Sara looked at her weirdly. Rory never drank alcohol. "Strawberry daiquiri, no alcohol." She said to the bar tender and looked at Sara when she said the last part, as if she knew what Sara was thinking. So there they were, Rory and Sara, eligible women, sitting at the bar, sipping their drinks and making little quips about the 'handsome' men that pass them by.  
  
"Him." Said Sara.  
  
"Umm.. Business executive, looking for a one night stand." The both chocked out balls of laughter. "OK," said Rory, "Your turn." She said pointing a finger to her.  
  
"OK." said Sara, "Lead the way." Rory scrounged the room with her eyes and pointed to one not so far from them.  
  
"Oookkkkaaayyy." Sara began, "let's see. he's wearing Dockers and a black shirt. no jell. blonde, nice form...Hmmm.."  
  
"Aho ho! Looks like the mighty have fallen!!" Rory said. She looked to where the man was and he turned so that she could see his face.  
  
"Oh no!" Rory breathed.  
  
"What?" asked Sara, looking to where Rory had. The man had caught her stare and came over.  
  
"It's Tristin."  
  
"Tristin, Tristin. the one that called you"-  
  
"Mary!" called Tristin.  
  
"Oh crap." she said almost inaudibly.  
  
"Aw, that hurts." He immediately looked over Sara and smiled.  
  
"(Sigh) Tristin, this is Sara, Sara this is "-  
  
"Tristin, hi..." said Sara. They shook hands.  
  
"So Mary, what brings you to 'cream'?" asked Tristin. Rory pointed to Sara and Sara just smiled.  
  
"I see..." said Tristin.  
  
"Same old same old." Tristin said and looked at Rory. She covered herself with her arms.  
  
"Aw, there's nothing to be afraid of..."  
  
"Ahem!" said Sara and Tristin stopped.  
  
"So.you still with bag boy?"  
  
"Bag boy?" asked Sara.  
  
"Uh, Dean." said Rory to Sara.  
  
"OH!" she replied.  
  
"And no, I'm not with bag boy."  
  
"Aw, did you finny dump him?" Tristin asked.  
  
"No.he uh...dumped me...because he uh. thought this other guy and I had it in for Each other." Rory spat out.  
  
"Other guy?" Tristin said with a cocky smirk and raised an eye brow.  
  
"Uh yea." said Rory, trying to hide her face.  
  
When she turned her head she saw such a familiar person. She started to worry. Sara put her hand on her arm and gave her a concern look, Rory pointed to the man that had his arm around a red head. His eyes were puddles of chocolate mud and his hair, concocted with gel and hairspray that could catch a bird and be a home for it. Sara was really worried.  
  
Jess saw her and walked over to where she was. Part of him was scared and the other part was mentally beating himself up for walking over. Tristin caught on and wrapped his arm around Rory.  
  
"What're you doing?" She whispered to him.  
  
"That the guy?" Tristin whispered back to her, suggesting that the guy coming over was the one that she once fell for.  
  
"Yea. His name's Jess. Don't embarrass me!"  
  
"I won't." He said and winked.  
  
"Je- Je. Hey." she was clearly nervous.  
  
"Uh, hey Rory.." He suddenly looked over Tristin and was extremely jealous.  
  
"Uh Jess.This is Tristin.Tristin this is Jess." They nodded hey to each other.  
  
Jess was then looking at Rory, searching her eyes for answers. She looked away.  
  
"Uh, this is Christy." Jess said and she and Rory shook hands.  
  
"Call me Chris." She said.  
  
Rory just nodded and looked away. Tristin finally spoke up.  
  
"Hey babe, wanna get outta here?" Rory looked up at him gratefully and said,  
  
"Yea."  
  
The 3 started walking away and Sara was backing up still facing Jess and Christy.  
  
"It was, uh...nice meeting you. I'm Sara by the way.uh bye." they walked away. Tristin still had his arm around Rory. She looked back at Jess and their eyes met she freaked out and looked away. 


	2. There's Always a Smile Behind Curtain Te...

Tristin had driven Rory home. He pulled over to the building and parked the car. She sat there still, calm, and quite composed. She gazed at her hands. Pale with white tings of a ghastly white. Each finger slender in its own. Curved at the tips and at the end of each finger was a perfectly filed nail, tucked closely to the finger. She suddenly realized that she had at least 5 minutes to stare at her hands while Tristin stared at her.  
  
"Oh.sorry.uh thanks.for everything.." She said and quickly looked away.  
  
"No problem." he responded. She started to pull out of the car, when he called her back.  
  
"If you need.anything.at all, just call.er- something." He said, handing her his card.  
  
She smiled at him and nodded. She turned and walked into the building while Tristin drove away. She arrived at her door and pushed it open. The room was dark and kind of creepy. She left her purse and keys by the door and walked into her room. She got dressed for bed and went directly to sleep.  
  
The next morning, Rory woke up to the scent of coffee, freshly brewed for morning people. Sara happily bounced into Rory's bedroom with a full cup of coffee. Rory sat up in bed, her back supported by the head- board.  
  
"Hey." Said Rory, still tired from last night.  
  
"Hey." Sara replied. "Some night, huh?"  
  
"Yeah.some night."  
  
"Let me just tell you now that I don't like the red- head, no matter what!" Rory laughed at Sara's nonsense.  
  
"I think I need to take a trip back home." said Rory.  
  
"Yea.I think it's for the best."  
  
"Well, I'd like it if you came.you could meet my psycho mom." Said Rory. Sara beamed.  
  
"Really! I'd love to!!" she replied. "Lemme just go home and pack.I'll meet up with you here ok?"  
  
""Yea, all right."  
  
Sara walked out and headed back home to pack. Rory decided to call her mom and tell her she and Sara were coming for the weekend. The dial tone sung 4 times before a muffled voice was yelled further away from the receiver.  
  
"Luke! I told you I wanted cafinated coffee!! Not decaf!! Said Lorelai, faintly. Rory just listened to the conversation her and Luke were having, till' lorelai realized that someone was on the phone.  
  
"Decaf is better for you!!" The diner man shouted back.  
  
"Luke! If I don't get cafinated coffee in 7 minutes, guess who's sleeping in the onion ring smelling diner!?!"  
  
"Well, lemme take a wild guess, does his name rhyme with duke?" replied Luke, still shouting.  
  
"Yes! Now get me my caffeine!!!"  
  
"Women!" said Luke, a bit softer, but still audible. "They're always too emotional."  
  
"I'll show you too emotional." said lorelai, even softer.  
  
".....(Sigh), hello." said lorelai, sadly.  
  
"Uh..Hey mom." said Rory.  
  
"Rory!!" replied lorelai, " Lukey come here, it's Rory!!" she shouted. Rory just smiled.  
  
"Hey Rory!" Luke shouted, from a distance. She chuckled and responded with,  
  
"Hey Luke." Lorelai proceeded to tell Luke she said hi.  
  
"It's about time that you called me missy! I haven't seen or heard from you in ages!" exclaimed Lorelai.  
  
"I talked to you last week!"  
  
"Yea, well it feels like forever in Lorelai- land.LIKE MY COFFEE!!" Screamed Lorelai.  
  
"So what's shakin' bacon?"  
  
"Well, I was wondering if I could come and visit with you this weekend."said Rory.  
  
"Yea sure.. I don't see why not."  
  
"Okay, great.Oh yea, is it okay that Sara comes?"  
  
"Yea sure, we can have a movie night!" Rory smiled and said, "see ya later then.bye." And hung up.  
  
Luke came up to Lorelai with her coffee and asked, "So what's goin' on with Rory?"  
  
"Oh well, she and Sara are coming over for this weekend." Lorelai beamed while Luke's facial expression fell.  
  
"What?" asked Lorelai, sadly.  
  
"Lorelai! Jess and Chris were coming today!"  
  
"Oh no! Poor Rory!!" Said Lorelai. "What're we gonna do?"  
  
"I dunno, I dunno!" said Luke.  
  
"We'll just make sure that the second Jess and Chris come, we stuff em' in the garage!"  
  
"Lorelai." Luke said warningly  
  
".Bet they'd get comfortable there." she said softer while Luke just shook his head.  
  
"You're gonna hafta tell Rory, one way or another. If you don't then I will." explained Luke.  
  
"Fine, fine!. I hate being a grown- up!"  
  
"Tomorrow you won't have to." Luke said jokingly, although he wasn't sure if Lorelai saw it that way.  
  
"Yay!" Lorelai exclaimed, while Luke just rolled his eyes.  
  
Back at Rory's apartment, she was all ready and Sara had come by with the car. They pulled out of the parking spot and headed for little ol' Stars Hollow. They arrived in town earlier than expected and pulled into the drive- way of Rory's childhood home.  
  
"Mom!" screamed Rory and Lorelai burst out of the house and ran to hug her.  
  
They all greeted each other and took their things in. Sara and Rory were gonna camp out together in the living room.  
  
"So how was the ride here.?" Asked Lorelai.  
  
"Quicker than we thought." Said Sara.  
  
Lorelai just nodded and asked Rory if she could help her with drinks.  
  
"Drinks? What drinks? All we usually have is water and apple juice!"  
  
"Well we got lucky." Said Lorelai, pulling Rory into the kitchen.  
  
"Mom. What's wrong?."  
  
"Well. this is gonna be a little hard, seeing as my brain is 3/4ths fried from coffee, but I forgot.that Jess and his girlfriend Christy were coming into town today." Lorelai said.  
  
"Oh.well.umm.. Sara, Tristin and I kinda ran into them last night at 'Cream'." Said Rory.  
  
"Wait, Tristin, Tristin. The one that called you"-  
  
"Mary. yes. and he kinda made it look like we were together because he wrapped his arm around me while Jess and what's her face came over."  
  
"Oh.. Well. don't we need Tristin then?"  
  
"Most likely.yes." replied Rory.  
  
Lorelai hugged her daughter and told her that it would be all right in the end. Rory explained what was going to happen to Sara and then they called Tristin.  
  
"Why Mary. How nice of you to call." said Tristin.  
  
"Cut the crap Tristin!..Now can you help me or not?!" asked Rory.  
  
"Oh all right!." Tristin said.  
  
"Great, well I'll see you here then."  
  
"Guess you will."  
  
"Tristin? No funny business."  
  
"Got it! No funny business.none whatsoever!" And then they hung up.  
  
Everyone (that including Lorelai, Rory, and Sara) headed over to Luke's to await a great dramatic soap opera show. Lorelai bounced over to the counter.  
  
"Beam me up Scotty!" she said as she banged the counter.  
  
"I told you to never do that in public!" Luke said.  
  
"What Public, this is Stars Hollow." Luke ignored her and walked away.  
  
A few seconds later, Jess and Christy walked in laughing. Rory started to worry because Tristin wasn't here yet. Jess saw her. Her beautiful chestnut colored hair, flowing ever- so lightly against her back, stretching as far as if wished. She turned at the ring of the diner to their arrival.  
  
Jess and Christy took a seat by the window while Luke came over to talk to them. Just then, Tristin came in; Rory spun in her chair and ironically threw her arms around his neck while pecking his lips with hers.  
  
"Hey" she breathed.  
  
"Hey." He said smiling back. She led him over to Lorelai and Sara.  
  
"Tristin, remember me?" asked Lorelai.  
  
"Of course I do. who are you again..?" Tristin whispered  
  
"Oh geez." said Lorelai. "Lorelai." she whispered.  
  
"Lorelai! How great to see you.!"  
  
"Yea." said Lorelai, softly.  
  
"Hey Sara, it's nice to see you again." said Tristin. Sara just smiled.  
  
They grabbed a table not so far from the counter and talked occasionally, laughing hysterically at Tristin's childish jokes. Rory saw the 'new found glory' in Tristin. he wasn't that exhaustingly annoying hormonic (if that's a word) teenager she always knew.  
  
Rory stole side- glances at Jess and Christy. More of which he responded back to. Rory practically despised Christy. She looked so perfect. The way her red hair swooshed at the turn of her head. The way her cheeks were naturally tinted with a rosy red. Her eyes were like endless pits of beautiful madness.  
  
The whole scenario seemed as if it were a horrific soap opera, playing re- runs. Suddenly, Rory saw Jess and Christy walking over to their table. She started spazing, but tried to act normal, for everyone's sake.  
  
"Uh, sorry to intrude, but could we borrow Rory and Tristin for just a sec?" Asked Christy.  
  
Sara and Lorelai stared at each other and both spat out a "yeah" while Rory shot them both death glares. They just smiled like 5 year olds. Tristin held Rory's hand and she held his hand in return. Jess and Christy pulled Tristin and Rory outside. Christy began speaking. It was like a terrible collision course.  
  
"Hi! I know I am so foreign to you two and vice versa, but Jess and I were wondering if we could have dinner together?" Asked Christy. "Rory I've only heard wonderful things about you, but I wanted to see so for myself."  
  
Rory looked over at Jess, who just looked away.  
  
"Sure!" said Tristin and Rory squeezed his hand so tightly that he yelped.  
  
"Good God!!"  
  
"Yeah, I saw it too." Said Rory, trying to distract them.  
  
"Saw what?" asked Christy looking behind her while Jess rolled his eyes at Tristin and Rory.  
  
"Oh, well there was this huge grotesque bug that flew right by your hair." explained Rory.  
  
Tristin managed to withdraw his laughter.  
  
"Well is it gone?" Christy cried.  
  
"I'm pretty sure." Rory said, trying to keep a straight face.  
  
"Good.." said Christy.  
  
"Great." replied Rory, tilting her head.  
  
"Okay, well not to desert you two, but Jess and I gotta get going. it was nice meeting you."  
  
"Yea"-said Rory.  
  
"So, we'll meet you here and from here, we'll tell you directions, okay?" said Christy.  
  
"Super!" said Rory, a little too happily. Tristin just laughed while Jess just stared him down. Christy and Jess waked away as Rory and Tristin walked back into the diner.  
  
"THE WORLD IS AGAINST ME!!!" screamed Rory.  
  
"And hell is just a sauna." said Lorelai, quoting the dad in '10 Things I Hate About You'  
  
"So what happened?" asked Lorelai eagerly.  
  
"We got shanghaied into dinner with them!" cried Rory.  
  
"Aw. I'm sorry hun. it's be okay, I promise."  
  
Later that night, Tristin got dressed in the bathroom while Rory changed in her room. She wore a green halter dress with white flowers on it and tiny white sandals. Tristin wore black Dockers and a black Dickies Gallien Krueger shirt that fit him well. Rory came out of her room at the same time Tristin came down from the upstairs bathroom. Their eyes gaped at each other.  
  
'He doesn't look bad.' thought Rory.  
  
'God she's beautiful.' thought Tristin.  
  
"We're off!" replied Rory. She stopped him before they left.  
  
"Please, please for the love of God, do not and I repeat, DO NOT embarrass me. please!" pleaded Rory. Tristin smiled and said,  
  
"I wont. I promise." and then they left.  
  
They arrived at the diner early so they just sat at a table by the window, playing a game. They had to list or blurt out things by the give color in the diner, but the object had to be in the room. They were on orange now.  
  
"An orange!" cried Tristin.  
  
"Haha, the words on the specials board."  
  
"The orange pen by the board with the orange lettering!"  
  
"You're eerily too good at this." Rory said cocking up an eye- brow.  
  
"Ok, new color." said Tristin.  
  
"Blue!" screamed Rory.  
  
"Luke's baseball cap." Said Tristin.  
  
"Luke's pants!"  
  
"Luke's plaid shirt!"  
  
"Luke's menus!"  
  
"Your eyes." said Tristin.  
  
Rory blushed and looked away. And at that same time, Jess and Christy came in and Rory shouted.  
  
"Red!"  
  
"Your face, cause' you been laughing so hard!" said Tristin.  
  
"Yea, at you! You came up with the weirdest game!"  
  
They both laughed as Jess and Christy came over. Jess looked really jealous.  
  
"Hey look it's working!" Tristin said while look at Jess. Rory kicked him in the shin.  
  
"What's working?" asked Christy.  
  
"The clock," Rory said gesturing to the clock behind them. "It wasn't working before." Christy just smiled and looked away.  
  
"But it is now!" said Tristin.  
  
Rory kicked him in the shin again.  
  
"Hey Rory?! Is your leg spazin' again?!" asked Tristin.  
  
"No.why?" asked Rory innocently.  
  
"Because you keep kickin' me!" Tristin said and Rory stomped her foot on his, really hard  
  
"What was that for then??"  
  
"Spasm." she said, as if he should have known, or was suppose to. 


	3. Dine n' Dash

Tristin followed Jess' car all the way into Hartford. It was a quaint restaurant, nothing special, but it was no dump that's for sure. Tristin, being, or at least trying to be, the gentleman he knew he could be, ushered Rory out of the car. Rory was surprised at first, but quickly regained conscienceless. They started following Jess and Christy to the front of the restaurant. Rory reached for Tristins hand and held it. Tristin smiled while Rory just rolled her eyes.  
  
"If worst comes to worst, we can always 'dine n' dash'!" Tristin whispered.  
  
"We just might." said Rory and they walked in.  
  
The waiter showed the 4 to their table. They then ordered their food and the fall of silence arose. Rory kept looking at the flowers set in the middle of the table and Tristin just looked at his hands. When the silence was finally shattered, Christy spoke, startling Rory from the flowers.  
  
"So." Christy began. ".Oh! How did you two meet?"  
  
'Great' thought Rory. ' Now she hasta stick her little red head where it doesn't belong!'  
  
"Umm. I knew him from high school." 'Hey it's the truth, isn't it?' she asked herself.  
  
"He was kind of rude to me and then he got shipped off to military school, but when walking to this coffee shop I always go to, I ran into him and we kinda hit it off." Rory laughed inside, fooling Christy. She could tell that Jess knew the truth.  
  
"How was he so rude to you?" asked Jess, trying to sound interested.  
  
"He uh."-  
  
"I called her Mary." Tristin explained.  
  
"Mary?" asked Christy. Jess laughed and shook his head. Rory shifted uncomfortably in her chair.  
  
"Mary." said Tristin, simply.  
  
"Ok." said Christy. Clearly she didn't understand the joke, but Jess did and he shook his head.  
  
"Well, how did you 2 meet?" asked Tristin, playing their dirty game.  
  
"In college." Jess said. Rory's eyes immediately pierced his own until he broke the cascade of memories.  
  
"It was my first year at Berkley. I was transferring from UCLA when I met Jess," she took hold of his hand, "in the library."  
  
"You went to Berkley?" asked Rory incredulously.  
  
She was obviously shocked.  
  
"Yes! And he passed with honors!" said Christy in an easily irritating voice, while trying to pinch his cheek.  
  
Rory stood up abruptly.  
  
"I uh need to go to the uh bathroom... I'll be right back." she hurried to the bathroom as fast as she could. Tristin got up and said,  
  
"Yea, I'm gonna go wash my hands." He raced off to the bathroom area. He knocked on the door.  
  
"Rory?." asked Tristin.  
  
"(Sniff) yea?" she answered.  
  
"Let me in." she slowly opened the door.  
  
"So, it's a one- bathroom restaurant." Tristin said, while looking around. Rory slapped him lightly on the arm and turned back to the mirror. She tried to make it look like she wasn't crying.  
  
"C'mere." he said, while he watched her furiously trying to wipe tears away.  
  
She poured herself into his open arms. He kissed the top of her head. He pulled her chin up so that she would look at him. He smiled and hugged her. She then composed herself. She walked out of the bathroom when she noticed Tristin still standing there.  
  
"What?" she asked.  
  
"I need to use the bathroom!" he explained, shooing her out with his hands. She just smiled and walked away. She started walking back to the table. Jess searched her face for longing, or something, anything. Tristin finally came back and then their food arrived. When everything was all settled, Rory spoke.  
  
"So how long have you 2 been together?.2, 3 years?"  
  
"3." Countered Jess. Rory nodded knowingly.  
  
"You?" asked Jess.  
  
"4." Rory lied. Tristin hid his smile. "Next week would be 4 and a half?" she asked Tristin. Tristin nodded, suppressing a laugh.  
  
"Yep.Next week would make it 4 and a half." they smiled and Jess looked like he would be sick.  
  
"Oh! Jess! You don't look so well. Anything wrong?" Rory asked, tilting her head.  
  
"Don't get cocky!" whispered Tristin. Rory elbowed him, trying to keep a straight face.  
  
"No!" Jess shot back. "I'm fine!"  
  
"Oh. Well you look pale." she explained.  
  
"Dine and dash!!" Tristin whispered to her. She just smiled.  
  
In the end the dinner didn't turn out so bad. Rory and Tristin were standing by the doorway while they waited for Jess and Christy whom were in the bathroom. Rory turned to face Tristin and said,  
  
"I never thought I'd say this, but you're a good friend." She hugged him and he said,  
  
"I never thought I'd say this, but you smell good!" Rory pulled back and slapped Tristin lightly on the arm.  
  
Tristin saw Jess and Christy coming over so he decided to dive into the feeding frenzy; he kissed Rory in the classiest way possible. When she pulled away, she looked over at Jess and he quickly turned his head away.  
  
That night, Tristin drove over to Rory's house.  
  
"I insist that you stay here, even if it is only on the couch!" said Rory.  
  
"You sure it's okay?"  
  
"Positive!"  
  
"Okay..." he replied. She smiled and leered him into the house.  
  
"I need some air, I think I'm gonna go for a walk." said Rory.  
  
"Do you need me to come?" asked Tristin.  
  
"Nah, that's okay.consider this a break." she said and walked out of the house.  
  
She walked all the way to the bridge. Her legs dangled over the wooden platform, shifting swiftly and slow. She marveled at the sight of her breath turning into a foggy mist just seconds before the miracle disappeared.  
  
The half moon casts' its unwanted shadow upon the glistened lake. The sounds of crickets pursed her ears, making themselves known. The clamored sounds of the crickets' songs were disturbed by the perpetual beat of familiar feet, pounding this wooden floor. She looked over, thinking it was Tristin, even though she said he didn't need to come. Suddenly her naivety was plastered to her face when Stars Hollow's first and only hoodlum came sifting in.  
  
"You!" was Jess' response.  
  
"Oh no! Don't you get angry with me mister! I go first!! You left me!! Not vice versa!" said Rory.  
  
"Fine! Lead the way, 'oh great and powerful Oz'."  
  
"Your sarcasm is not appreciated Jess!" screamed Rory.  
  
"Really? Well tell me what is, so that I can please 'the almighty Rory'!" Rory's expression was deadpanned. He had no right to do this to her!!  
  
"How dare you!" said Rory. Jess looked away. Rory got up and started walking.  
  
"No.let me!" Jess said walking away.  
  
"Who the hell cares about who walks out first!?" Rory screamed.  
  
"Well now Rory, I don't think I like your language young lady."  
  
"I don't care if you don't like it or not! Jess, you left me! I didn't leave you! I don't even know what I did!! Do you know how many times I've cried over you, thinking you'd come back." she was crying now.  
  
"I hate you so much, and yet I can't stop this God awful feeling you practically gave me!" she said, while starting to walk away. She turned back to face him.  
  
"I.I.forget it..it's not even worth the breath to waste on you."  
  
Jess stood there on the bridge, looking at his hands. He shook his head and walked away. Since Luke lived with Lorelai, Jess and Christy got the place above the diner. Life in the fast lane couldn't, shouldn't, get any worse than it already has. 


	4. The Essence of Rain

"Rise n' shine and get down to the glory, glory. Rise n' shine and get down to the glory, glory- rise n' shine and get down to the glory, glory of Luke's coffee in the morning!." sang Lorelai.  
  
"Mooommm!" cried Rory. Lorelai's singing continued as she lifted the blinds in Rory's room. "Evil has bestowed upon your sensible thinking!" cried Rory, out of sleep deprivation.  
  
"Hey! Are you not listening to the song?! I'm preachin' about Luke's coffee here! Now get your smart talkin' butt outta bed missy!" Lorelai walked out singing again. When Rory rolled over for the 10th time she finally rolled right off the bed.  
  
"Ah!" she screeched. Tristin came waltzing by and leaned against the doorframe, smirking.  
  
"Do you know what happens when people take joy from other people's pain?" asked Rory while lying on the ground.  
  
"They get front row tickets to hell?" asked Tristin.  
  
"Close.." said Rory and Tristin then helped her up.  
  
"Then what.?" he asked. Rory stood there thinking. Her eyebrows furrowed when she said,  
  
"Huh. Looks like I forgot."  
  
Tristin smiled and walked away.  
  
"I have arrived!" cried Lorelai bursting through the diner door.  
  
"God help us all." muttered Luke, thinking he said it to himself.  
  
"Hey!" screeched Lorelai. "Smell familiar to you?. The sweet, fresh scent of onion rings in the morning!" Luke just shook his head.  
  
"Yea. Keep bein' mean to me and this my good man," Lorelai said, gesturing to the diner, "will be your palace!"  
  
"Calgon take me away!" said Luke.  
  
"Feel the love!" said Jess walking down the stairs. Jess' eyes searched the room for the woman he once loved and perhaps still may.  
  
"She's not here ye." said Lorelai, scraping the crusty expression off his face.  
  
"What?" asked Jess, as if he just came out of a coma.  
  
"She went for a walk with Tristin."  
  
"Sorry to disappoint you, but that's not what I was looking for." Jess said, reaching for a dishcloth to wipe down the already cleaned countertop.  
  
"Oh. then what were you looking for? Santa Clause?" said Lorelai.  
  
"Well who said dreams can't come true." said Jess.  
  
"Sure as hell wasn't me! Try checking with the Easter Bunny. He and Santa get along pretty well!"  
  
"Whatever." Jess said and walked away. Jess was serving a customer when Rory and Tristin staggered in laughing.  
  
"The world doesn't revolve around you, ya know!" said Rory, in between laughs.  
  
"What if I made it Revolve around me.?" Tristin asked while wrapping his arms around Rory.  
  
"Hmmm. That's a hefty ransom."  
  
"Well what if I paid it off with a delicate deal?" asked Tristin, inching closer each time.  
  
"Well that'd be some deal." whispered Rory. Jess was sick and tired of this whole charade. Tirstin kissed Rory with out a care in the world. They separated and Tristin walked ahead of Rory, towards Lorelai.  
  
Suddenly it was as if Rory was being ambushed by a wild pack of boars. It turned out to be Jess. He pushed her backwards out of the diner. Everyone inside and outside looked at Jess like he was crazy, which he may, very- well be, if he can't have Rory again.  
  
"Jess!" Rory whined. "What the hell are you doing?!" she screamed.  
  
"Rory, we need to talk." Jess said, letting her go. She folded her arms and looked away, because she knew that if she looked into those endless mud puddles, she would find everything she hated, but ironically loved at the same time.  
  
"I think we talked enough!" said Rory, walking away. Jess grabbed her by her arm and said,  
  
"I don't think we've talked enough!" said Jess. Still not letting go of her arm.  
  
"What!?. What could you possibly say to me now? Huh? The fact that you know you hurt me when you walked out of my life? Or the fact that Christy is the best thing in your life and you're getting married any day not and you just wanted to rub I in my face!" she was so angry that her whole face was red.  
  
"No! Try the fact that I still love you!! And that it kills me every time I see you hanging around that guy!" said Jess.  
  
"And it doesn't kill me that you hang around the red- head?!" said Rory.  
  
She was boarder- line tears now and what she was about to say would cause a downfall.  
  
"I'll let you in on a little secret." she said, it was a mixture of anger, laughter, and pity for herself. "Tristin and I were never together!" She bowed her head.  
  
"I.I just..- I just wanted to make you jealous!" she cried while throwing her hands in the air out of frustration. "I still miss you! I still love you! I don't think I'll ever be able to let that go." she said sadly. She started walking away when he pulled her back again.  
  
"I still miss you too." he breathed. "And I will always, always love you and I will never let that go."  
  
She started crying even more. No one could ever replace Rory. Even if they looked like her. Her beauty, inside and out, was too rare to replace. He leaned in to kiss her and she let him.  
  
Tristin saw this through the window and his heart feel, but at the same time, seeing Rory happy was all he ever really wanted. He tapped Lorelai's arm and she looked to where he pointed and she smiled a sad smile, for both Rory and Tristin.  
  
Abruptly, after taking all of the joy in, she pulled back from his touch.  
  
"I can't!" she cried. "What about Christy! You can't just leave her without letter her know!"  
  
Breathing was an excuse to prolong every word she just said. The view around her became shady, as the clouds gathered near. The sky gave- off an ominous texture to the 'Pleasantville' surrounding.  
  
She stared intently at the heavy clouds waiting for that marginal drop of heaven's cloud, to fall upon the fertile ground. She saw the way the clouds came together so close to each other, killing all presence of light. Finally, the essence of rain was no longer needed because she had the real thing.  
  
The soft touch of evaporated water drizzled from above. Lightly, tiny drops of pain and sorrow trickled down her cheek. She brought her hand up to his face and rubbed her thumb on his cheek. She gracefully walked away.  
  
In the rain is where she left him and in the rain is where he would make a decision. He watched as she headed toward the bridge. Jess decided it was time for him to be honest. He left the tiny town, roaming around aimlessly on the road, in hopes to find his peace.  
  
When he arrived back into the diner, Luke was just about to lock up when he saw Jess coming and pushed open to door for him. Luke stood there moments after jess passed him.  
  
"For what it's worth," Luke said, looking at the ground, "What ever decision you make, I'm sure it's for the best."  
  
"Aw uncle Luke, you're warming my heart." Jess said, putting his hand over his chest.  
  
"You're hopeless." Luke said, rolling his eyes.  
  
"I'll see ya tomorrow morning.  
  
"Yea." with that, Luke and Jess walked their separate ways.  
  
That night, while Jess was sleeping. Christy woke up. She couldn't sleep so she decided to go down to the bridge for some nice clean air. When Christy arrived at the bridge, she saw a woman sitting at the end. He long hair seemed to drape over her bowed face. She kept her legs tucked bellow her and her hands supported her face. Soft sniffles could be heard, if you listened closely.  
  
As Christy neared the hunched woman, she realized that was no ordinary person, it was Rory; the girl she had been acquainted with.  
  
"Rory?" she whispered. Rory's head shot up as she tried to collect herself.  
  
"Oh- hi." She responded, almost laughing at how serendipitous this whole situation was.  
  
"I was just leaving." Rory explained, getting up  
  
"No stay." Christy asked. It sounded like a command though. Rory shot back down.  
  
"I- I know I don't really know you or vice versa, but I- I'd like to." said Christy.  
  
"Oh.um. there isn't much to say.. My life is pretty much like a 'badabing- badaboom' sort of deal."  
  
"Oh." whispered Christy. Rory was still sniffling to Christy decided to ask,  
  
"I know it's none of my business, but may I ask what's wrong?"  
  
"Umm.I - ya. I'm just.going through a lot right now." said Rory. Christy just nodded.  
  
"Me too." she sounded honest too. Rory looked over at Christy, hopping she would continue and she did.  
  
Christy stared out on the shimmering lake. The moons' reflection kissed the surface, creating a luminous touch.  
  
"I never told anyone this, not even Jess, but I feel like I can confide in you." she began. Rory just sat there, listening intently.  
  
"When I was in high school, my boy friend had asked me to marry him after senior year. I thought to myself, hey I love the guy, what bad could come from this? So I said yes. senior year past and we were getting married. I was 18 at the time and so was he. We went to college together and things were great at first and then we grew apart because of work and school. We separated after my second year at UCLA." She started playing with her fingers while staring at the lake. Rory watched her. "That's when I transferred to Berkley." She explained, "That's when I met Jess. but I didn't think I'd see him again." said Christy.  
  
"Him who?" asked Rory.  
  
"My boyfriend.his name is Jason." Rory nodded knowingly. "I think... I - I think I still love him....." Christy bowed her head to herself.  
  
Secretly, Rory was doing a happy dance for herself, but outside, she felt terrible for Christy.  
  
"I.I kind of know what you're talking about.er- how you feel."Rory said, her own head bowed to herself.  
  
"How? I mean...how?" asked Christy.  
  
"God!" thought Rory; " I think I'd kill my self before spilling my guts to her! - Suddenly she felt so bad. She looked to where Christy was and she looked as though she were on the verge of tears.  
  
"I- ahmm (cleared her throat)- I had a boy friend in high school who I loved so much and at times, I wasn't sure if he loved me back. It was the little things; however, that proved me wrong. just the little things." Rory said. "He was your typical 'I hate the world and the world hates me, rebel without a cause' kind of guy, but I loved him." Shaking her head, she displayed a sincere smile; so genuine that it made her own heart melt.  
  
"So what happened?" Christy asked. Rory pulled herself away from her wonderland and faced Christy.  
  
"He was having some problems, but I'm not quite sure on what.so he just left me. I've tried one too many times to just let go of him and move on, but I never could. he was somethin'."  
  
Christy nodded while her eyes drifted to the lake.  
  
"Did you ever see him again?" asked Christy.  
  
"Ummm yea. but he already has somebody. so I'm just pathetically admiring him from afar." Said Rory.  
  
"What about Tristin?" asked Christy.  
  
"Well what about Jess?" asked Rory. Christy nodded again while she looked at her hands.  
  
"If there was one thing that I remember most, of Jason, I think it would be this one time while at the park, I was babysitting in college for some side cash and the little girl I was watching was exhaustingly hyper that day and my boyfriend was under a tree reading.. I had just noticed him there. Well the little girl was running around and I told her to sit right next to me. I said it as forcefully I could. So she sat, but Jason called me over so as I was starting to walk, she grabbed my foot! I feel face flat on the ground. The little girl and Jason laughed hysterically while I pulled out the grass that was in my hair. on our 6-month anniversary as being a married couple; Jason took me to the park. He blind- folded me and took me to the place where I fell. He took off the blind- fold and handed me a box. It was beautifully wrapped. When I opened it I smiled and rolled my eyes. It was the grass I had in my hair, all withered and aged. How he got it, I'll never know.. That little girl probably gave it to him.and that was it."  
  
Rory smiled and decided to tell Christy one.  
  
"The one thing I remember most about J-my boyfriend was when we weren't together yet, he had developed a terrible reputation. A while before that we were in my car, he was driving and he swerved because of this stupid furry thing in the middle of the God- forsaken road! I fractured my wrist and the whole town including my mom was out to get him. A while after, I wasn't so happy with him, he was just doing so many thing to make me angry, I just didn't know what to do. my mom and I were coming home one night from this small party we were basically forced to attend to and my mom wasn't feeling too happy because of it. So we were driving home and I shouted 'stop the car!' and she said, 'what? - Why?' so I said, 'you want catharsis?' and she responded with 'yea.' so I told her ' I know what'll do it for you.J-Je-Jeor. Jordan's car'. Rory was getting nervous now, she was so close to saying his name! "So my mom said, 'what about it? And I responded with, 'we egg Jordan's car!' and my mom said, 'why?.' and I told her 'cuz it's active and destructive, but not too destructive, I dunno, make something' up!' so she finally agreed and we egged his car! The next day we found him scrubbing it and he never found out that it was my mom and I that egged his car!"  
  
The two women laughed and laughed.  
  
"It's hard." said Christy, wiping the smile off her face. "To let go of something so special, but see it come back.."  
  
Rory nodded and whispered, "Yea."  
  
"Do you miss him?" asked Christy.  
  
"Huh?" asked Rory, dazed.  
  
"Jordan.. Do you miss him?."  
  
"Everyday." replied Rory.  
  
"If you were given one chance to get him back. would you do it?" asked Christy.  
  
"I. I.I don't know. I think it would have to depend on the circumstances. would you?"  
  
Christy breathed deep and said, "yea."  
  
"But I need your help!" screamed Christy. "I- I don't want to hurt Jess, but I can't lead him on.."  
  
"I - I don't know "-  
  
"Please! I know we're not like best friends or anything, but as a friend.. Could you?"  
  
"I think .I think you should just be honest with him and he might understand." Said Rory.  
  
Christy nodded and they both returned their quivering stares to the placid lake. 


	5. Never Had to Knock on Wood, but I'm Wond...

Next morning, Lorelai and Rory walked into the diner, Tristin had told Rory he'd meet her there. She figured things were coming to an end. All in all, she enjoyed Tristin's company. She appreciated the fact that he helped her lie, even though she hated to. Through the course of the operatic session, Rory grew enamored of Tristin; however child- like he was.  
  
'Speak of the devil', Tristin walked through the diner door. He appeared to be calm; however looks can be deceiving and this man was no stranger to deception, for he was the puppet master and his victims the puppets.  
  
"Rory!" Tristin called to her. Her head turned to the direction of his voice. She smiled faintly and walked over to him. "I think my work's finished here..!" he said, looking around him. Rory hugged him and kissed his cheek.  
  
"Thank you.for everything.you're a really good friend. I hope you keep in touch. I'd hate to lose you as a fried.." Rory said. He smiled and nodded while he gathered his bags and headed out to the parked car; set out for home. Tristin is gone, not for forever, but for now.  
  
Jess walked down the stairs that lead to the diner below the apartment. Rory's sad eyes followed him to the counter where Christy was eating. Lorelai, who sat a few seats over from her, was arguing with Luke. Lorelai had won the battle for her sweet, dark liquid.  
  
Luke placed her cup in front of her while she smiled giddily. "Glad to make your diner wishes come true!"  
  
"Oh Lukey! You know I love!" said Lorelai. Luke rolled his eyes and overly dramatic, threw his hands in the air and whispered forcefully to the open air towards the ceiling, "Why God? Why?"  
  
"Who's crazy now?" Lorelai asked herself. "Oh Lukey!! A cup of love for my favorite daughter!" screamed Lorelai.  
  
"A cup of what?" asked Luke.  
  
"A cup of Je"-  
  
"MOM!"  
  
"Java!"  
  
"Mom." said Rory warningly.  
  
"I wanna go to the beach!" cried Lorelai, changing the subject. Luke looked at her blankly and out of sanity, walked away.  
  
"Mom. do we have any time to drive to the beach?" asked Rory.  
  
"I don't know." Said Lorelai sadly.  
  
"Do we have any food for the beach?"  
  
"I don't know!" said Lorelai frowning.  
  
Jess watch with amusement in his eyes.  
  
"And lastly, do we have any coffee for the beach?"  
  
"I don't know!!" Lorelai's face was distorted into features man was never introduced to.  
  
"So you answer will be.?"  
  
"I don't know!!" Lorelai buried her head into her arms on the counter. Rory patted her back and said,  
  
"Of course."  
  
She then turned her body to face emptily at her coffee.  
  
"Oh wait!" cried Lorelai, her head shooting up.  
  
"Oh no." muttered Rory. Jess chuckled and Rory looked over to him and he just smiled. She looked at her coffee again. "So what did you have planned?" asked Rory to her mother.  
  
"A girls day!"  
  
"A girls day?" asked Rory.  
  
"Yes!" cried Lorelai.  
  
"And what do we do on this girls day?"  
  
"Well, we start with Luke's," Lorelai said, gesturing to the place they were at now, "then we go shopping till' we get super tired. and then, to end the day we stay up girl talkin' while stuffing our faces full with intoxicating goods such as twizlers, m n m's, snickers etcetera, etcetera.!"  
  
"Ok. It sounds like fun!" said Rory.  
  
Lorelai stared at her, "Really?" she asked.  
  
"Yep!" she said getting up. Let's go!" she grabbed her purse and Lorelai's arm.  
  
"Byyyyeee Luuukkkeeeyyy!!!!" Lorelai screamed as she was being pulled out of the diner. Luke laughed and waved them off.  
  
Jess watched as the two hoped into Rory's car. Christy watched him as sadness ran through her veins. She pulled him to a corner and forced him to look her in the eyes.  
  
"I'm not gonna lie to you and you shouldn't to me." Jess looked confused so she continued. "My.. -I saw my ex- husband. and I can't kill my feelings for him. You saw for ex- girlfriend. and you can't hide your feelings for her."  
  
'How did she know about Rory being my ex- girlfriend?' Jess thought.  
  
Jess looked sad yet happy at the same time, happy that the truth was out there. No more lies. Christy held his shoulders while her eyes burned his.  
  
"Don't let her go." she said. Jess just stood there looking shocked. Christy brought her hand up to his check. His hand over- lapped hers. She leaned in and whispered, "Good- bye." and walked away.  
  
"Do you smell that?!" asked Lorelai to Rory while walking into the Hartford mall.  
  
"The smell of commerce in the morning?" asked Rory while smiling.  
  
"Who could forget that quote from Mallrats?!" asked Lorelai.  
  
"Evidently not us.." replied Rory. Lorelai smiled and hooked her arm with Rory's.  
  
"Shall we?" asked Lorelai.  
  
"We shall!" replied Rory. The duo glided down the walkway, bouncing into store after store.  
  
Lorelai gasped.  
  
"What?" asked Rory not looking to where they were.  
  
"Sephora- land!" whispered Lorelai with such awe and enthusiasm only 5 year old could get away with.  
  
They both looked up at the sign that read Sephora. Both stepped back so that they wouldn't punish their necks for gazing up at the 9th wonder of the world, coffee being the 8th in their book.  
  
"Dreams CAN come true.!" whispered Rory.  
  
"COME- ON!" screeched Lorelai.  
  
"WAIT!!" said Rory pulling her mother back. "Compose yourself! This is a very sophisticated place.. You can't just run in and start touching things like a 5 year old with sticky fingers!"  
  
"But I AM a 5 year old.." Rory looked at her weird. "In here.." said Lorelai gesturing to her chest. Rory rolled her eyes and smiled.  
  
"Come on." Rory said, slowly pulling Lorelai in. They walked in, taking their time in every isle.  
  
"Mom!" cried Rory, "smell this!!" she said, while shoving the beautifully shaped bottle at Lorelai.  
  
"Wow!" Lorelai breathed. "That smells fantastic!" The two inhaled the intoxicating scent. "You should buy it!" said Lorelai.  
  
"Really? You think I should?" asked Rory.  
  
"Yea. I think jess would like it."  
  
"Mom!" cried Rory.  
  
"What? You like him.. He likes you.. What better way to seduce a man!" said Lorelai.  
  
Rory rolled her eyes and grabbed a box of the perfume. By the end of the day, both Rory and Lorelai had large amounts of money spent. They came into the diner with their bags at bay.  
  
"(Sigh)" Lorelai plopped herself on a seat at the counter and Rory followed suit. "Luuukkkeeyy!" Lorelai cried, tiredly. "Coffee! Pleeeaaassee!"  
  
No one came for them. The diner was empty, but it wasn't late. Maybe it was just a coincidence.  
  
"Luke! Pleeeaassee! Stop stalling!!" cried Rory. Jess snuck up behind Rory and Lorelai.  
  
"Luke isn't here." He said, "He went into Hartford to get the 'lost' shipment of pickles."  
  
"Pickles. pickle. what a funny word." said Lorelai.  
  
"Oy with poodles already!" cried Rory, throwing her hands up in the air.  
  
"Here." said Jess passing the girls each a cup.  
  
"Rory! Our savior!!. I see the light!" said Lorelai.  
  
"And the light is bright!" replied Rory. They each took long swigs of their drinks and ended with satisfied smiles.  
  
"Good stuff." says Lorelai.  
  
"Good stuff." repeats Rory.  
  
The diner door swung open as a tired Luke came in with a cargo box labeled pickles.  
  
"I dunno how you guys can drink that stuff, it tastes horrible!" said Luke.  
  
"Should I knock on wood?" Lorelai whispered to Rory.  
  
"What? Why would you knock on wood?" asked Luke exasperated.  
  
"It's in the superstition theory that if anything about coffee is said in a blasphemous or sacrilegious manner then we knock on wood. Therefore the fact that you said and I quote, 'tastes horrible' we should knock on wood.." Rory explain.  
  
"Ahhh! You said it too!! La lalalalalala.." Lorelai said, covering her ears.  
  
"Now what?" asked Luke to Rory as if he had broke Lorelai.  
  
"(Sigh) we you said, 'tastes horrible' and when I repeated it." answered Rory.  
  
"I see." Luke said nodding. Lorelai continued singing. "Lorelai! There's a grave dug out for you out there!! It has you name on it! It says, 'Here lies Lorelai; she was a good mother and a good friend. She used Luke for his coffee; therefore, she was and will be known as the coffee- digger'." Said Luke.  
  
"Mean!" said Lorelai, taking her hands off of her ears.  
  
"Dirty!!" said Rory, her face looking disgusted. Jess smirked at her expression while Luke rolled his eyes and carried the box labeled pickles into the storage room. Lorelai got up from her chair and started yelling at Luke.  
  
"I am NOT a coffee- digger! You take that back you- you- you flannel wearing, backwards baseball cap/ I think I'm so much better than everything and everyone in this stinkin' town!" yelled Lorelai in the storage room. Jess shook his head and Rory stared at her coffee. There was a lot of yelling in the background.  
  
"And you wonder why you act a little woo hoo!" said Luke.  
  
"(Gasp) I cannot believe you just said that! You just suggested that I was crazy!" cried Lorelai.  
  
"What?! And you never thought so yourself?"  
  
"That's besides the point!"  
  
"Well what is the point?" asked Luke.  
  
"Oh boy!" said Rory listening to their conversation.  
  
"What? And you don't think your mom is a little (he made circling motion by his ear, indicating crazy)?" asked Jess.  
  
"You did not just say that!"  
  
"I don't know why you're so shocked, I mean, you take after her.. You're the spitting image of you mother dearest!" said Jess. Rory knew that, but she was only trying to defend her mothers' honor. At the moment, she needed to defend her own.  
  
"Yea? Well slap on a flannel and a backwards baseball cap and you got yourself a mini- Luke in the making!!" said Rory.  
  
"Ouch!" said Jess, placing his hand on his heart.  
  
"You are so infuriating!" said Lorelai and Rory at the same time, but to different guys. They both walked out.  
  
"Big word Rory, Yale taught you well!" yelled Jess.  
  
"Yea, Lorelai, come back when you're low on coffee, so you can try to act normal!" yelled Luke.  
  
"You'd like that wouldn't you!" yelled Lorelai.  
  
"Yea, Jess, since you went to Berkley, go find a dictionary, incase the word's too big for you!" yelled Rory.  
  
Lorelai and Rory stomped off when Lorelai realized she left her purse in the diner. She ran to get it.  
  
Luke was checking bills when Lorelai came in; a smile crept on his face.  
  
"Wipe that smirk off your face mister, you just earned a free stay at the 5- star onion ring smelling diner, buster!" said Lorelai.  
  
"Oh well I- CAN'T- WAIT!!" yelled Luke.  
  
"Good!"  
  
"Good!"  
  
"Good!" finished Lorelai running out to where Rory was waiting.  
  
"Men!" said Rory, crossing her arms.  
  
"Women!" said Jess, shaking his head. 


	6. Oh What Cruel Fate

Tristin was gone and Christy was gone. Sara went back to New York with her best regards to Rory and her 'situation'. Now if only fate had a cruel way of making magic.  
  
It was early afternoon and Rory had some work to catch- up on. Luckily she brought her laptop. She decided to work at the bridge, what with the quietness of it all. Rory lay on her stomach with her laptop open on the bridge. She brought her CD player with a mixed disc of songs. She had the CD player blaring to the point of climactic deftness.  
  
"It's just another manic Monday, ooh oo ohh! Wish it was a Sunday, ooh oo ohh! Cause' that's my funday and I- don't- have- to- run day. It's just another manic Monday."  
  
She was so caught up in the Bangles that she couldn't hear the familiar beat of persuasion pounding on the wood.  
  
"Well, well, if it isn't little ol' Rory." Jess said. Rory didn't bother pulling the earphones off or dare pull down the monitor to stare aggravatingly at the man she couldn't stand at the moment.  
  
"Beat it! I am in no mood to tolerate your childish antics diner boy!" she said furiously typing away.  
  
".... London calling to the far away towns, now wars declared and the battle come down...."  
  
"From the Bangles to the Clash, what's next?" Jess asked sitting in front of her computer.  
  
She was agitated so she pulled down the monitor and yanked off the earphones.  
  
"What do you want?" she asked slow and tiredly.  
  
"Just to chat."  
  
"Chat?.. Chat?! I'm in the middle of an article and you want to chat?!" she was standing now and because she was standing, he stood too, for fear of female domination.  
  
"Yea.." he said, simple, placing his hands in his pockets. She was so irritated with him.  
  
"How deep is this lake?" she asked.  
  
"Why? Thinking about jumping in?" Jess asked, almost interested.  
  
"No, I'm thinking about pushing you in!"  
  
"Oh, been there.. Done that." said Jess, waving it away.  
  
"Well would you like to relive and experience, the 2nd time's always the best!" Rory said sarcastically.  
  
"Actually the 1st time wasn't good at all, so what makes you think that I'll believe that the 2nd time's the best?"  
  
"I can be a very convincing person.."  
  
It all happened so fast. Like a rush of wind knocking her into the gentle lake. The splash of her minute body disturbed the sleeping lake. Jess had pushed her in.  
  
"Now you know."  
  
She was soaking wet. Anger had swept across her face.  
  
"First time not so good? Well I hear the 2nd one's the best!"  
  
"No thank you!" she said shivering, while she pulled herself out. Jess was laughing at her, but the second he saw those evil glares flying full speed ahead like flaming darts, we stepped back.  
  
"Oh, come on.." he said, holding out his arms, yet keeping his distance for fear of retaliation.  
  
"You stay away from me!" Rory said, folding her arms protectively across her chest.  
  
"Well don't say I didn't try to help." he said walking away.  
  
"You were the one that pushed me in!." he didn't respond. "Get back here and apologize right now!" he spun around smirking while he said,  
  
"See ya later, Rory." and walked away.  
  
Rory stomped her foot, gathered her things and walked home. Lorelai was reading 'In Style' while laying on the couch in the living room, when she heard the front door slam.  
  
"Hey groouuchyy.." Lorelai said slowly while looking Rory up and down. "What happened? Don't tell me you fell into a toilet.. Did you?!"  
  
"Ew, gross, no mom!"  
  
"So what happened?"  
  
"Jess."  
  
"Huh." said Lorelai.  
  
"Yea." Rory responded nodding.  
  
"So wanna go to Luke's?" Lorelai said, acting chipper.  
  
"What? - No!. do you not realize that Luke's is a war- zone and we are the one's warring against them?!"  
  
"Oh yea.." Lorelai said quietly. "But I need to be recharged!!"  
  
"Then plug yourself into an outlet, cause' there's no way in hell I will go there!"  
  
"Aww man!!"  
  
"You said!" Rory replied, collapsing on the couch, sitting next to Lorelai. She was still wet. Lorelai poked at her and smiled every time she got away with it.  
  
"I got it!" said Rory. "I know what we can do to get Luke and Jess good!"  
  
"What? What? I always love an evil scheme."  
  
"At night, we sneak into Luke's and go up to the apartment and set 'booby traps'!!"  
  
"It's brilliant..! I knew I had you for some reason."  
  
"And this is as good as any." Rory said, speaking as if it were a matter of fact.  
  
"One question.. How do we sneak? Luke locks up remember?"  
  
"Yes, but you see, we'll make it so that we're the last customers and on our way out we put tape over the thingy on the door where when you turn the knob, it's gone!"  
  
"Like magic!"  
  
"No.."  
  
"Aw." Lorelai said quietly.  
  
"Like operation get- back at Luke and Jess!" said Rory, rolling her hands.  
  
"Muahahaha!" Lorelai cried.  
  
"Mom.. No evil laughs.."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"It's too cliché."  
  
"Ok. How about coocookachooooooo!" Lorelai sang. She sounded like a dying wolf.  
  
"Perfect."  
  
"Coocookachooooooo!" they sang in unison.  
  
They had everything they needed and ten some. They packed it in Rory's backpack and made sure to bring tape. They waltzed into the diner, as if they weren't mad at Luke and Jess.  
  
"We're closing in 10 minutes," Luke said.  
  
"We just want coffee." Lorelai said, putting her hands up in defense.  
  
Luke brought them each a cup of coffee. When they finished they left the tip on the counter and on their way out, as fast as Rory could, she stuck tape on that thing on the door. They skipped off into the darkness, laughing softly. They hid in the bushes, waiting for Luke to think he locked up and go to bed.  
  
When they waited for 30 minutes plus the time it took for Luke to lock up, they went over to the door. Rory pulled at the doorknob, but it wouldn't budge. She started to panic, but Lorelai remembered that Luke has a back door and the key is under the trash can that Jess made him get because he hated being blamed for dumping trash in Taylor's bins. The key was there for the people who brought in shipped goods. They ran quietly all the way to the back.  
  
Lorelai opened the door and walked it. Each step made was like a whisper to a mouse. They crept up the stairs softly and made it to the door. Rory opened it and walked it first. Lorelai laughed at how funny Luke looked when he slept and Rory just shushed her. They began unpacking the goods. Rory went into Jess' room with honey and shaving cream, along with other various necessities.  
  
For a few seconds, she watched as he slept. So peaceful, so quiet. she sprayed shaving cream on his cheeks because he once told her that the first thing he does when he wakes- up, is rub the sleep from his eyes away. In his hair, she put the honey in. She brought out the red nail polish and painted his toes and on the big ones, put yellow and pink flowers on em'. She carefully clipped an old pink bow into his honey hair. She gently applied blush and eye shadow. On his floor, Rory wrote out, 'what a pretty girl' in m n m's. The mirror was directly across his bed, so the first thing he'd see, is his pretty self.  
  
Lorelai on the other hand, put shaving cream in Luke's hair. She pulled the blush out and made 2 of the reddest circles on his cheeks, tied a bib carefully around his neck, and a rattle in his hand. Lorelai also painted his toes, but she painted them pink with red flowers on the big toes. By Luke's bed, Lorelai wrote, 'what a cute baby' in m n m's.  
  
They left and they left successfully. The next morning when Luke woke up first, he scratched his head and with drew his hand. He sat there in bed with disbelief. He ran into the bathroom and saw his face. Out of frustration, he sighed deeply and bowed his head while his arms sagged sadly. He looked down at his toes and shook his head. He got cleaned off and went to wake Jess up to help him open the diner.  
  
"Hey wake- WOA!" Luke said, looking at Jess while he slept. Rory really got him. Luke stood there laughing. "Jess. Jess get up! (Laughter) on gosh. take a look at yourself!"  
  
"(Yawn) what are you talking about?" Jess asked groggily. "What the "-  
  
"(Laughter) take a long look in the mirror! Oh boy.." said Luke.  
  
"Oh my "-  
  
"Yea!"  
  
"How? - What?!- Why?. I- I.. Aw man!"  
  
"What?" Luke asked, chuckling.  
  
"Rory!."  
  
"And Lorelai!."  
  
"What're we gonna do? Beat em' at their own game.?"  
  
"No," said Luke, "I think we should plain old ignore them, big time."  
  
"Umm, okay." said Jess. He wasn't sure if Luke was keeping something from him, but it sure as hell felt like it.  
  
"You'll see." Luke responded, exiting the room.  
  
Luke looked at his bed and noticed the lonely rattle and shook his head. Jess got cleaned up and went down stairs to help Luke with the breakfast rush. It turned out that there was no rush, but an angry Kirk and two devious women sitting by the window. Luke was at the counter, arguing with Kirk.  
  
"Just cut them into stars!" Kirk shouted.  
  
"I will NOT cut your French Toast into stars!"  
  
"Service sucks around here! I'm telling Taylor!" Kirk whined.  
  
"Oh God, Jess did you hear that?! Kirks gonna tell Taylor on us!" Luke joked.  
  
"What ever will we do?!" asked Jess.  
  
"Beats the hell outta me!" Luke yelled and Kirk ran out sobbing. Lorelai and Rory laughed and laughed.  
  
Luke and Jess exchanged glances; glances like, 'this never happened' and 'we will never bring this up again'. Luke was checking diner bills when jess came behind the counted.  
  
"Thelma. Louise! Some service? We promise not to ask you to cut our French toast into Stars." Lorelai shouted across the room.  
  
"Your move.." said Luke, to Jess.  
  
"What? - Why me?!"  
  
"Cause' I already had to deal with 1 idiot and I don't wanna deal with the Banger sisters down there!" Luke said, pointing to Lorelai and Rory. Jess sighed and walked over to their table obligingly and put the cups down. He started pouring coffee when Lorelai said, "Such service.!"  
  
"Yeah, well don't expect a miracle."  
  
"Oh I wont, you're way passed miracles." Lorelai said. Jess rolled his eyes.  
  
"Anything else?" Jess asked tiredly.  
  
"Bacon, egg, and toast for her and the special omelet and some extra toast for me." said Lorelai. Luke's head shot up when she said special omelet, drudging up old memories of times when they flirted.  
  
"Don't do it, it's a trap..!" Luke shouted from across the room.  
  
"You told me to serve them!" Jess shouted back.  
  
"Fine!"  
  
Jess turned back to them and said, "so you wanted a plate with bacon, egg, and toast for her," Jess said pointing to Rory, "and the special omelet and toast for you," Jess said, pointing to Lorelai.  
  
"Yes, but what exactly is in the special omelet?" Lorelai asked.  
  
"(Sigh) three eggs with bits of bacon, tomatoes, Swiss cheese, and some oregano." Jess said.  
  
"Uh- huh, okay, well I'll have just a little bit of the tomatoes, not a lot and the same with the oregano. Absolutely no Swiss cheese makes me sick and add jack cheese." Rory smiled remembering old times.  
  
*Flashback*  
  
"A new special? His four-slice French toast has been up there since I was born!"  
  
"You just gotta let that go, baby."  
  
"What can I get you?"  
  
"I sure do."  
  
"Nice. What is the special omelet?"  
  
"You won't like it."  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"Because you've been eating here for years and I know what you like, and you won't like it."  
  
"Can I at least hear what it is?"  
  
"Fine. It's three eggs with bits of bacon."  
  
"I like bacon."  
  
"Cubed tomatoes."  
  
"Sounds good."  
  
"Swiss cheese and a dash of oregano."  
  
"A dash, he says."  
  
"I've got other customers here."  
  
"I'm gonna go with the special omelet."  
  
"I'm gonna go with the special omelet."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"With a side of bacon."  
  
"There's bacon in the omelet."  
  
"Oh, then skip the bacon."  
  
"The side of bacon?"  
  
"The bacon in the omelet."  
  
"Hold the bacon."  
  
"Can I get Jack cheese?"  
  
"On the side?"  
  
"Instead of Swiss, Swiss is so stringy."  
  
"Fine, Jack cheese."  
  
"Also, I think I'm allergic to oregano so hold that, too, and some coffee."  
  
"So, just the eggs, tomatoes, and Jack cheese."  
  
"Not too many tomatoes."  
  
"Light on the tomatoes."  
  
"Very light, just a teeny-tiny amount, practically none."  
  
"I'm skipping the tomatoes. It's an omelet with Jack cheese."  
  
"Perfect."  
  
"You did this on purpose."  
  
"French toast for me. That was cruel."  
  
*End flashback*  
  
"Uh, she'll just have some eggs and bacon.." Rory said, interrupting Jess and Lorelai's conversation.  
  
Jess nodded and Lorelai made a sour face. As jess walked away, Lorelai leaned over the table to Rory and loudly whispered, "Why'd you hafta go and do that for? I was just havin fun..!"  
  
"I mean sorry, but all I hear coming out of your mouth is blah blah blah blah. is there something wrong?" Rory asked.  
  
"Yeah, my meany of a daughter wont let her dear old mother have fun!"  
  
"Blah blah blah blah." Rory whispered and looked off into space.  
  
Lorelai's beeper went off and Luke said, "Outside!"  
  
"It's a beeper, not a cell phone!"  
  
"Yeah, but you pull out your cell phone when the damn thing goes off!"  
  
"Nu- uh!"  
  
"Outside!"  
  
"Fine!"  
  
Lorelai went outside and her beeper's caller was Sooky. There was a fire safety inspection and they needed her there.  
  
"Aw man!" said Lorelai. "I gotta go to the inn.."  
  
"Why?" asked Rory.  
  
"Fire safety inspection."  
  
"Oh..Ok."  
  
"Sorry hun."  
  
"It's okay.. I'll see you later then."  
  
"Yeah, bye!"  
  
"Bye"  
  
When Lorelai left, Jess brought back their food.  
  
"Just me." said Rory.  
  
Jess set both plates down and Rory looked confused. Luke came running down from upstairs and yelled, "Gotta go, watch the diner, be back before 8."  
  
"What?! 8 tonight??"  
  
"Yea! Bye!" Luke said, jumping into his truck.  
  
Jess sat across from Rory and started eating the lonely egg and bacon. Rory rolled her eyes and pulled out The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald.  
  
"Ya know, it's impolite to read while one has company at breakfast." Jess said.  
  
"You're not company and besides, where's Christy?" Rory asked with the least bit of excitement.  
  
Jess flinched at her name, "she uh.. She's gone." Jess said indirectly.  
  
"Oh." Rory said sympathetically.  
  
She put the book down and they both ate. Jess smiled and ate the egg and bacon. When Rory finished she got up and left the money on the table.  
  
"Uh- hey, where you going?" Jess asked, getting up.  
  
"Dunno.." she responded. Jess nodded and looked away.  
  
"So I guess I'll see you later." she said.  
  
"Yeah, guess so." he responded.  
  
She tried opening the door but it seemed to be locked. She turned to Jess and said, "This isn't funny Jess, unlock the door!"  
  
"I didn't lock it in the first place!" Jess said getting up. "Here" he said going behind the counter. He opened up the drawer where the extra keys were suppose to be, but evidently weren't. Rory folded her arms, "Come on Jess, I got places to go!"  
  
"Not any more," he said looking up at her.  
  
"Quit foolin' around Jess, I wanna leave!"  
  
"Is it cause' you can't stand 5 minutes in a room with me?!"  
  
"Ok, I couldn't tell if you were flattering yourself or not."  
  
"God Rory! What do I have to do to get you to forgive me?!"  
  
"Give me time! That's what you can do! Geez!!" Rory said and sighed while her tired body shriveled to the ground. She sat in front of the door and put her head in her hands.  
  
"Am I that unbearable?" Jess asked, walking over to her and squatting before her.  
  
"(Sigh) no- I just.. I'm just tired."  
  
She looked up at him with her dreary eyes.  
  
"Understandable." he said nodding. "You can take a nap up stairs while I wait for Luke down here." she nodded and got up.  
  
She walked towards the stairs, but before she started walking up, she turned back to face Jess, whom had his hands occupied by resting themselves in his back pockets, reflecting the James Dean that kindled his heart and said nothing but a simple, "thanks." He nodded and she continued to walk up the stairs.  
  
Once inside the tiny apartment, she looked around the room. Nothing seemed to have changed. She had flickers of old memories. Memories like their first kiss- er kind of first kiss, right before Luke barged in.  
  
*Flashback*  
  
JESS: So, here we are. RORY: Yes, here we are. Wow, I haven't seen it since you guys redid it. JESS: Oh yeah. RORY: It's bigger. JESS: Ripping a wall down can have that effect on a room RORY: Yeah. That part, over there. JESS: That's mine. RORY: Yeah. JESS: Yeah. You want a soda? RORY: No, I'm fine. JESS: Okay. You sure you don't want a soda? RORY: Yeah, I'm sure. JESS: Please let me get you a soda. I gotta do something other than stand here like a moron. RORY: Take comfort in the fact that you are not doing it alone. JESS: Okay, let's just regroup here. RORY: Yeah, regroup. JESS: First of all, we should try to get within, say, a foot of each other.  
  
RORY: Okay. I think that's about a foot. JESS: Huh, that school of yours is really paying off. RORY: So, now what? JESS: Now we should. . . RORY: Well, I think we either need to get a little closer or need to warm up. JESS: Okay. Hi. RORY: Hi. Their lips met at the slightest touch, but all of a sudden, Luke burst into the room. They both jumped, for what felt like 100 yards away from each other. The rest is just history.  
  
*End flashback*  
  
She smiled as the fresh memory caressed her every thought. She gazed around the room; most of Luke's belongings were at her house because that would explain the empty places here and the filled ones at her house.  
  
Rory fell asleep on the couch, while Jess was reading The House on Mango Street, by Sandra Cisneros, at the counter. His elbows grew tired so he stood upright. His back cracked at the adjustment of posture. He glanced over at the clock on the wall. It read 6:53, from this he sighed. It had truly been a long day. He peered through the transparent glass for any sign of Luke. There was no sign. The sun was setting and the air got cooler. The nightly breeze swept through like a whirlwind. Jess decided to check up on Rory. He quietly climbed up the steps to the apartment. Everything was silent. Jess slowly opened the door. He saw Rory sleeping curled up on the couch. She hugged her self tightly. 'She looks so together and close yet so far away.'- thought Jess, he didn't care how cliché that sounded, he meant it. He kept his distance from her, not to far, but enough to let her sleep without her knowing he's there. She stirred in her sleep, but he didn't notice because he went to the bookcase to pull a book off the shelf. Slowly, her eyes flickered open. It was like thunder crashing and lightning burning. She lay there staring at his back. He turned and she closed her eyes again. He sat a foot away from the end of the couch.  
  
Before opening the book, he looked at her. Her chestnut hair shedding her cheek. Her skin looked so fair. Her cheeks were tinted a slight pink and he knew that she blushed whenever the least bit of awkwardness was dawned upon her. He then realized she was awake.  
  
"Some nap huh?" Jess said. She rolled over; her whole body faced the backing of the couch. She smiled to herself.  
  
"So that's how it's gonna be?" Jess said getting up. "Well I'll just leave you with your WIDE- AWAKE thoughts." Jess said as he turned to leave.  
  
"Fine!" she said turning over to face him. He spun around and the corners of his mouth had risen as if by magnetic touch or just the sight of Rory lying down on his couch. She sat up and stretched, a yawn escaping the very depths of her slumber. She stood in front of him, staring at him.  
  
"What?" he asked.  
  
"Feed me!" she chirped.  
  
"Oh God." Jess muttered.  
  
"Hey! I didn't choose to be here, so feed me!.pleeeeaaasseee!!"  
  
"Yeah, but you could've called someone, or climbed out the window." Jess said, pointing to the window diagonal from the couch.  
  
"Yeah that sounds safe, sure Jess I'll climb out the window and down the tree, pray to God or the Buddha; both of which are higher beings, that I don't fall down the tree and break my neck!.."  
  
Jess smiled at her enthusiasm. "You still could've called someone."  
  
Rory rolled her eyes and got up.  
  
"Where are you going?" Jess asked, following her.  
  
"To get me something to eat!" She answered.  
  
"Nu- uh! There is no way on Earth that I will let you touch the stove!"  
  
Rory wiggled her eyebrows and made a mad dash down the stairs with Jess following. Rory ran into the kitchen and hid on the side of the refrigerator. Jess came rushing in.  
  
"All right Rory, game's over. you can come out now!.Rory come on!" Jess called as he drew closer to the refrigerator.  
  
"Boo!" Rory screamed as she jumped out of the side of the refrigerator. Jess shook as he jumped back.  
  
"Now will you make me food?" Rory asked, with her head tilted and her hands on her hips.  
  
"Will you say sorry?"  
  
Rory stood there and shifted into a direct position. She stood firmly with her arms crossed and her head narrowed.  
  
"I'll take that as a no." Jess said.  
  
"That's a hell no!" Rory snorted. "I can't take it! I need to get out of here!!" she walked out of the kitchen and into the diner. Jess slowly followed. Rory had her face up to the glass of the diner. She searched the town for anyone passing by. Rory looked at the clock, it read 7:07. Rory sighed and seated herself at a table by the window. She shook her head side to side and said,  
  
"There's no place like home. There's no place like home." Jess shook his head and brought her a cup of coffee. She smiled as if she were a kid in a candy store.  
  
"It's old."  
  
"Hey, coffee's coffee..I can't fight the system!" Rory responded.  
  
"That's the spirit!"  
  
"Whoa, who hit you with the happy stick?"  
  
"Well who crowned you 'Miss Optimistic'?" Jess asked the sarcasm not being treated like a toy.  
  
"I dunno, but his name rhymed with Tess!"  
  
"Oh joy! Now I can go dig that grave I had planned for you!"  
  
"You had a grave planned out? Just for me?!"  
  
"Count yourself lucky mister! You're the first on my list!"  
  
"Of course! Because Rory Gilmore can't make big decisions without a list!"  
  
"Well at least I consider my decisions before following through with them! That says a lot about you Jess!"  
  
"Oh! I'm hurt!"  
  
"Well put a band- aide on it cuz I don't care!. the problem with you is that you only care about yourself!"  
  
"Yea? Well the problem with you is you only think about others! If you had just thought about the things you wanted in life, don't you think you'd be somewhere else?!"  
  
"Why do you think I'm here and not out the window? Or calling someone to help me? Hmm? Consider your decisions Jess, not mine!" she said as she walked upstairs.  
  
She had a stroke of genius. She searched for Luke's toolbox. She found that tool you use to chiseled ice and she brought down a hammer. She walked back down the stairs and up to the front door. She stood on a chair while Jess stood and watched. She hammered the hinges off the door and pulled the door inside. Jess stood there looking shocked. Like a stream of lightning had blinded him, he rubbed his eyes.  
  
What he saw appeared to be true. Jess walked up to her and pointed to the door. Not a sound evaporated out of his mouth.  
  
"I Jess Mariano am going home. I don't know when I'll see you again, cause' you like to pull that disappearing act."  
  
"I wouldn't be Jess Mariano if I didn't." he said with a small smirk.  
  
It was 7:14 now and he stood at the doorway, watching the one thing in his life that made sense. The one thing that brought every puzzle piece he thought he'd lost or thrown away, back. She disappeared into the vapid night. The darkness eating her within. She shook her head and entered her home. Tomorrow she would go back to New York.  
  
"Change is the law of life and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future."  
-John F. Kennedy 


	7. Change Feels like a World of Difference

When Rory entered the house she heard yelling in the kitchen; something about coffee, she wasn't really listening. Rory silently walked to her room. She shut the door and brought out her bag. She started stuffing her clothes in when she heard the yelling decease.  
  
(Outside)  
  
"Was that Rory?" Lorelai asked.  
  
"I dunno, what time is it?" asked Luke.  
  
"It's 7:30.. I thought you locked up the diner!" Lorelai responded.  
  
"I did!"  
  
"Well how did she get out?"  
  
"I dunno!"  
  
"Alright, alright. I'll go see her.. And you, get some sleep! You grumpy"-  
  
"Stop right there! I'll just go to sleep!"  
  
"Fine!"  
  
"Fine!"  
  
Lorelai knocked on Rory's door and a muffled, "Yea?" was heard.  
  
"Rory?" Lorelai asked.  
  
"Ahuh?"  
  
"You okay?" Lorelai asked, walking into Rory's room.  
  
"Yea, I'm fine." Rory said still folding clothes to place into the bag.  
  
"You goin' back home?"  
  
"Uh- yea.. Tomorrow.."  
  
Lorelai nodded.  
  
"Ok, well I'll leave you with your peace.." Lorelai said. Rory nodded.  
  
"Mom.?"  
  
"Yea?" she said turning around.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Aw.." she said walking over to hug Rory, when they separated, Lorelai smiled and walked away.  
  
She closed the door on her way out. Rory took in a deep breath. The air grew thin and full of sadness. She sighed and her tired body fell to the floor. Her back was against the end of her bed.  
  
Her arms were supporting her upper self as she leaned back on them. Her hand landed over a medium- sized book. She didn't know what it was so she pulled it out. She leaned back on the end of her bed. It's leather exterior was worn and the gold engraved title was faded and read, 'My Memories' she smiled as she opened it.  
  
The plastic protector held memories even she had forgotten. They were recent photos. The first one was of her and Lorelai sitting at the counter at different ends playing bagel hockey. The next was of her and Lorelai again, sitting at a table with 2 large tubs of coffee sipping them down; it looked like it was a race. She smiled and flipped the page.  
  
The next few made her want to cry. She smiled sadly as she concentrate on each picture. The first on that page was of her and jess sitting at the bridge. Jess had his arm wrapped around her and she was snuggled into him. The second one made her laugh to herself. It was her in bed with tissues surrounding the bed and boxes of tissue everywhere. Her nose and cheeks were all red and she had ruffles of tissues crammed in her hands. The picture was taken right when she was bout to sneeze. She sat there recalling the day before when this picture was taken.  
  
*Flashback*  
  
(Thud). (Thud). Rory looked over at her window. She was in bed, sleeping when she heard noises at her window. She looked at it. It had 2 smashed snowballs slushed into the transparent surface. She smiled as she got out of bed and lifted the window. She saw Jess standing there with a snowball in his hand he started walking away when she called,  
  
"Wait for me!" to him. He smiled and leaned against the tree while she ran to the closet, grabbed a jacket, shoes, and gloves and crawled out the window.  
  
"Ma'am? You crawled out that window like you had done it before." Jess commented. Both of Rory's eyebrows were propped up. She bent down and grabbed some snow, when she came back up she was hit with Jess' snowball. Her mouth hung open and her eyes were as big as they could get.  
  
"Jess Mariano? Fell the wrath of Rory Gilmore!" with that, she threw the snowball and laughed.  
  
When they finished throwing one snowball after another, after another, Rory got up from her base and walked over to Jess who had been recovering from an attack. Jess was wiping off snow when she came up to him. She smile and he looked up at her eyes.  
  
Her beautiful eyes. There was absolutely no name that could brand those eyes. It was the kind of blue that pierced your soul and opened your eyes to the things that your mind couldn't see. It was the kind of blue that made you realize just now lucky you really wee and how grateful you should be just to have found those special people in you life. This is how Jess felt, each and every time he looked up at her eyes.  
  
He traced the features on her face; her eyes followed his finger's every destination. First she followed his finger, then brought her eyes up to see a studious Jess, concentrating on all the fear and love and happiness his eyes displayed, she pulled his finger away. He looked at her and again was stricken with that extraordinary feeling her eyes gave him.  
  
She held onto his finger and with her other hand, brought his head closer to hers. She let go of his finger and pulled his face to hers, cupping his chin to support him. Her touch made his body weak. She slowly pulled away slipping into the shadows and whispered,  
  
"G' night Jess." And crawled back through the window.  
  
*End flashback*  
  
That's how she got sick the next day. She could feel pools of salty madness swimming to the corners of her eyes. She blinked her pain away. They were like stab wounds to her heart. She closed the book and flung it back under the bed. After that she went to sleep.  
  
The next morning, Rory awoke to the scent of coffee brewing in the morning. She yawned as she stretched out of bed. Slipping a robe on and some pink fuzzy slippers, she dragged herself into the kitchen. No one was there. By a cup at the coffee table was a note. It read,  
  
Daughter of Mine,  
I'm at Luke's begging him to make me chocolate chip pancakes. If you come I know he'll make em', so, for your dear old- wait I AM NOT OLD! For your very young mothers' sake, please come down...  
-Always, your VERY YOUNG MOTHER!  
  
Rory smiled as she poured herself a cup of coffee. She later slipped on a pair of fitted jeans and a shirt that read, 'if I close my eyes and count to 10, will you still be there?'  
  
She laughed to herself because of the shirt. She finally made it to Luke's. The bell at the door rung with welcome in every pinched chime it made. Rory searched the room for her mother and spotted her at the counter, still begging.  
  
"Come on Luke! It's not that hard to make chocolate chips into the pancakes!"  
  
"Then you make it!"  
  
"Are you serious?"  
  
"No! Of course not!"  
  
"Then make the damn pancakes!"  
  
"Never!.(Rory came up).. Oh hey Rory, what would you like?"  
  
"Umm.. I'll have chocolate chip pancakes."  
  
"Sure." Luke said, walking away.  
  
"Hey! Favoritism!!" Lorelai said sighing.  
  
"Luke likes me better! Luke likes me better!" Rory sang.  
  
"Lalalalalalalala!!" Lorelai responded, covering her ears.  
  
"Lorelai!." Luke said.  
  
"Lalalalalalalala.." She continued while keeping her eyes shut.  
  
"Lorelai!!."  
  
Rory started poking at her and she uncovered her ears and opened her eyes.  
  
"(Sigh)" Luke was tired of Lorelai's Childs play.  
  
"Your in trouble! Your in trouble!" Rory whispered, singing to Lorelai. Lorelai stuck her tongue out at her.  
  
"Yes Lukey, whom I love so very much, maybe more than my own daughter!"  
  
"Mom!"  
  
"What? You were being mean to me! Say your sorry and all is forgotten."  
  
".(Sigh). sorry." Rory said, crossing her arms.  
  
"Aw, I love you too!" Lorelai said hugging her.  
  
"Lorelai."  
  
"Yes Lucas?"  
  
"Your pancakes." Luke said, placing both Rory's and Lorelai's plate of pancakes.  
  
"Muaha!" Lorelai blurted out.  
  
"What was that for?" Rory asked, looking weirdly at her.  
  
"That was my inner me rejoicing for this wonderful meal."  
  
"Ahuh." Rory said, getting back to her pancakes.  
  
Jess came down the stairs and was taken aback by Rory's presence. Lorelai saw the look jess gave Rory. It was sad, it was a mixture of despair and loneliness. A sense of want and desire. She knew she needed to give the two space to talk to she bugged Luke.  
  
"Oh Luukeey!! Where oh where has little Lucas gone, oh where oh where can he be?! Where oh where has little Lucas gone, oh where oh where can he be?." Lorelai sang while she walked into the kitchen.  
  
"Lorelai! How many times do I hafta"-  
  
"Aw pipe down Luke, they're gonna talk!"  
  
"What?" Luke asked, genuinely confused.  
  
"Jess and Rory, they're gonna talk! Now shush!!"  
  
Luke and Lorelai listened and picked up words, as best they could.  
  
"...Hi.." said Jess leaning over the counter top.  
  
"Hi.." She responded.  
  
"I thought you'd have gone home by now."  
  
"I needed breakfast." she explained as he nodded.  
  
Just then, Ms. Patty came rushing in with a child being dragged along.  
  
"Oh Rory, honey, I need your help"-  
  
"Ms. Patty I"-  
  
"Rory darling this little girl's my niece and I need someone to watch her, just for today."-  
  
"Ms. Patty.. I"-  
  
"Oh thanks Rory, you're a doll, I'll be sure to tell your mother and Luke that! You can get Jess to help too!" Ms. Patty said, backing out of the dinner. She ran and ran as fast as she could, like there was no tomorrow.  
  
"Ms. Patty, I'm leaving." Rory said to no one. The little girl stood there, her hands in her pockets and her hair half up half down. She was adorable. Rory who looked back at Jess just sighed while Jess smirked.  
  
"Guess you're staying.." he said, grinning.  
  
"Just for today!" and she looked back at the little girl, she was eye to eye with the little girl and asked,  
  
"So. what's your name?"  
  
".Miya."  
  
Rory smiled.  
  
"How old are you?" Rory asked.  
  
"I'm a whole hand old!" Miya said, showing Rory her hand.  
  
"Wow. I'm 4 hands and 1 finger old."  
  
"That's ooolldd!!" cried Miya.  
  
Rory's smile turned into laughter. Rory picked up Miya and placed her in the stool next to her.  
  
"Are you hungry?" Rory asked. Miya nodded furiously.  
  
"(Chuckling) ookay.. You can tell that man right there (pointing to Jess) exactly what you would like."  
  
"Oook. can I have a ginamous plate of waffles withs lotsa syrup and lotsa butter, please Mr. Diner Man?"  
  
"Sure.." Jess said smiling at her while he placed her order.  
  
The little girl looked back up at Rory and smiled.  
  
"You can call me Rory, by the way."  
  
"Row-ry?" Miya asked, "What're we gonna do ta-day?"  
  
"We can do whatever you want.. Do you wanna go play by the gazebo?"  
  
"Yea!" Miya cried, nodding like a mad man.  
  
"Okay, when we finish we can go, okay?"  
  
"Ookay!"  
  
Jess brought Miya's order and she ate as fast as she could. Her mouth was covered in syrup and she licked the plate clean. Jess smiled as he took the cleaned plate and placed it into the bin. Miya hopped off the stool and with a wave of her hand, she cried,  
  
"Come on Row-ry!" Rory hopped off her stool and wiped Miya's mouth clean. Rory looked back at Jess and said,  
  
"I'm not doing this alone ya know!"  
  
Jess nodded and yelled, "Luke, I'm goin' out!"  
  
"Yea, yea." Luke yelled, taking orders.  
  
"Come on!!" Miya yelled as she tugged at Rory's hand.  
  
"Alright!" said Rory laughing.  
  
She looked back at Jess and quickly looked forward where Miya kept tugging at her. She caught up with her and she held her hand as they crossed the street together, with Jess tugging along, slowly.  
  
Miya let go of Rory's hand and stood on the grass and sat in an area that surpassed all. She sat Indian- style with her hands in her lap.  
  
"What do you feel like doin'?" asked Rory just as she sat next to Miya.  
  
"Let's give names to the clouds!!" said Miya.  
  
"Ookay."  
  
They laid down and Jess sat at the gazebo, watching from a distance, but still earshot from the whole commotion.  
  
"That one.." said Miya.  
  
"It's a fish!" said Rory.  
  
"Nu- uh, it's a rabbit, it has ears! And ya see that fuzzy lookin' cloud at the end? That's its tail!"  
  
"I don't see it." Rory pouted.  
  
"Right there!" Miya outlined the cloud- shaped 'rabbit'.  
  
"I see it!.ookay, that one." Rory said, pointing to anther cloud.  
  
"Umm, it looks like a turtle!"  
  
"Ookay, that one.." pointing to another.  
  
"It looks like Mr. Diner Man's hair!" Rory sat up and laughed. Jess smiled and shook his head. Rory waved a 'come over' to him and he just shook his head no.  
  
"Your loss!" She yelled to him and turned back and lay down.  
  
A few hours later, Miya had fallen asleep. They had named clouds, played hand games, played tag around Jess and then he caught Miya and laid her down and tickled her. Rory stood back and watched. A smile had crept upon her face. Rory sat next to Miya, encircling her legs with her arms. Jess walked over and sat opposite from Rory.  
  
"W should take her back to Ms. Patty now.." Rory said. Jess nodded. Rory picked her up and held her tightly as they crossed the gazebo to the other side and crossed the road to Ms. Patty's dance studio. It was 6:30 so Ms. Patty still would've been there. Jess knocked and opened the door.  
  
"Ms. Patty.?" Rory called.  
  
"Yes?." she said, turning to the 3 at the door. "Oh yes." she started walking over. She took Miya into her own arms and said, "Thanks a bunch, she wasn't too much trouble, was she.?"  
  
"She was an angel." Rory said with ease.  
  
"Oh good. well I'll see you guys later, bye."  
  
"Bye.." Jess and Rory said in unison.  
  
They both walked out and Jess looked over at Rory and said, "You're gonna make a good mother, ya know that?"  
  
"Ha! I can hardly take care of myself, let alone a child. That, today, that was luck. She was a good kid. I had it easy."  
  
"Nah, you really will."  
  
"Huh.well you're gonna make a fine father."  
  
"Not a good father, or a great father?"  
  
"You're pushin' it..!"  
  
"Right." Jess said nodding and looking away.  
  
"So this is goodbye.." Rory said as they both stopped.  
  
"Goodbye's suck.. Until we meet again."  
  
Rory nodded and they parted. Jess stopped and watched her walk home. Would this be the end of them? His heart fell as he realized things would never, could never, be the same with out Rory Gilmore. 


	8. Some Kind of Wonderful

A/N: I only own Sara. OH YEA, I MADE A MISTAKE ON THE OTHER CHAPTER WHEN I SAID SHE WAS 21. SHES 24. SORRY!!  
  
Rory walked home and the second she entered the house, Lorelai came up to her.  
  
"Hey, so how'd it go?"  
  
"Oh, uh it went fine.." she smiled lightly as she entered her room.  
  
Her bags were neatly packed by the door, ready to be taken home. Home. she missed her home; not the home she shared with her mom. Not that she didn't love spending time with her mom, but she missed her home. It was hers; it belonged to her. She missed Sara and she missed her work.  
  
'Screw breakfast, I'm not taking any more chances, I'm going home!' she said to herself.  
  
She slipped into her pj's and crawled into bed.  
  
The next morning, she woke up early. Early enough that her mother wouldn't be up, or so she thought. Rory got dressed. She wore fitted jeans and a black knitted, long sleeved shirt. She walked into the kitchen to find her mom standing behind Jess while he was fixing good ol' Bert.  
  
"Hey, hey, careful.! Butterfingers!" said Lorelai.  
  
"Lorelai! You know as well as I do that Bert here would get fixed faster if you'd quit hovering over me!" yelled Jess.  
  
"Fine!. ya yahoo!" she whispered the last part as she walked over to Rory and fake- cried.  
  
"Bert spat- out crap! He needs to be replaced!" Lorelai said; as she hung her head low.  
  
"Shh! He can hear you!" said Rory.  
  
"(Gasp) Do you think that he heard me?" asked Lorelai.  
  
"Call it intuition, but yea, I think he heard you." Rory said nodding.  
  
Jess shook his head.  
  
"Bert, we weren't talking about replacing you! We would never do that!!" said Lorelai.  
  
"What ever helps you sleep at night." said Jess. ".Alright. There."  
  
Jess pressed a button and from the mouth, out poured the luscious liquid known as coffee.  
  
"Ahh! You are a god Jess!" said Lorelai.  
  
"Huh. I thought I was a 'yahoo'." said Jess, smirking.  
  
"Fine! You're a yahoo! What ever floats your boat!"  
  
He shook his head and turned to Rory.  
  
"Hey, she belongs to you."  
  
"(Sigh) I know." said Rory glancing at Lorelai as she happily danced around the kitchen.  
  
"So you're leaving this morning?" asked Jess.  
  
"Yep." said Rory, placing her hands in her back pockets.  
  
Jess nodded and said, "Well uh.(cleared his throat and pointed to the living room)" Rory walked into the room and turned to Jess.  
  
"So."  
  
"Oh yea," he said, "(cleared his throat again, cuz that's what guys do when they're nervous) here." he pulled out a wrapped object and handed it to her. She smiled softly as the object was placed in her possession.  
  
"I- Jess. You didn't have to do this."  
  
"I know, but. I wanted to."  
  
She smiled as tears slid by her eye- lids. She couldn't help but cry.  
  
"Oh uh. could you- uh not open it until you get home."  
  
"Yea. sure." she nodded. This would probably be the last time they'd talk. He had to get out or he'd break down too.  
  
He motioned to the door and waved her a 'goodbye' or as Jess thought of it as a 'until we meet again' kind of thing. She placed the object in her backpack. She called to her mom and said,  
  
"I.I'm leaving now."  
  
Lorelai came out from the kitchen and was tear- stained.  
  
"You come back okay!. don't be a stranger!!"  
  
"Alright." She said as she hugged her mom. Rory loaded her things into her car. Lorelai watched at the porch as her baby drove away.  
  
A few minutes later, Luke's truck pulled up to Lorelai's house. She was still standing there at the porch. She looked the way she did when Rory left for college.  
  
"Lorelai," said Luke, "It's gonna be okay."  
  
She nodded and he held her to his side as they went into the house.  
  
Rory finally got home. She pushed open the long awaited door. Everything looked the same and smiled at this. She sighed and collapsed on the sofa, her bags still at the door. She got up and reached for the phone. She decided to call Sara.  
  
(2 rings)  
  
"Hello..?"  
  
"Hi! This is Gloria Haynes and I'm calling about your taxes.." Said Rory, covering her mouth so she wouldn't laugh out loud.  
  
"What..?" Sara said, slow and softly.  
  
"Yes, I have here in my hand the unpaid bills of a Sara Johansson.. That is your name right?"  
  
"Yea, but I paid all my bills!"  
  
"Oh! I'm afraid not, I've got it right here in my hand.."  
  
Sara could start to hear Rory's patterned voice; she smiled.  
  
"Well you can call my oh- so special friend Rory, she'll bail me out, just give her a call and"-  
  
"You're mean! Would you seriously do that to me?"  
  
"Of course not! I mean I'd ask before taking your money..!"  
  
"Ha-ha, very funny.."  
  
"Aren't I? I mean I knew I should've considered a career in comedy, but no, that clown just had to shatter my dreams!."  
  
"I wont ask.."  
  
"I think it's best that way."  
  
"So.."  
  
"Are you back home in New York?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
""Oh! That is so awesome, how'd things go?"  
  
"Well.. They went.. Okay.."  
  
Rory began explaining everything that happened to her at her stay in Stars Hollow.  
  
"Aww. Hey, how bout' we get some coffee!" said Sara.  
  
"Ok, um, lemme call Tristin and see if he wants to come."  
  
"Ok, meet ya at Joe's in a few."  
  
"Okay.."  
  
(Hung up)  
  
Rory dialed Tristin's number.  
  
(3 rings)  
  
"Hello..?"  
  
"Uh, hey."  
  
"Why hello. To what do I owe this pleasure?"  
  
"Come on Tristin, I just called to say I'm home and if you wanted Sara, you, and I could go out and get some coffee."  
  
"It's great you're home and yes I'll go and get coffee with you and Sara.. Where exactly?"  
  
"Um, at Joe's, do you know where that is?"  
  
"Yep.. So I'll see you there in a few minutes?"  
  
"Yeah.."  
  
"Okay, bye.."  
  
"Bye.."  
  
Rory grabbed her handbag and waltzed out the door.  
  
When she arrived at Joe's she was the first one there.  
  
"Hey Joe!" said Rory, walking to the counter.  
  
"Hey Rory, it's about time you came home, business hasn't been the same without you."  
  
"Aw, it's good to know I've been missed."  
  
"Here ya are.." Joe said, handing her a cup of coffee.  
  
"Thanks Joe.." Rory said walking to a table.  
  
Just at that moment, Sara and Tristin walked in, they were laughing.  
  
"Hey! God it's good to see you!" said Rory.  
  
"I prefer Tristin, but god's a good name."  
  
"(Sigh) What will I do with you?" Rory said shaking her head.  
  
"Yes Mary, what will you do with me?"  
  
"Wow, need help with that heavy load?"  
  
"Yeah it's huge," said Sara chiming in.  
  
"I mean, Tristin, I've seen large ego's, but yours is practically taking up the entire room, I think you'll need to get that fixed..!"  
  
"I second that.." said Sara nodding in unison with Rory.  
  
"What is this, 2 against 1? Absolutely unfair! I demand equal rights here!!" said Tristin looking around the room.  
  
There was no one else in the room but Joe and all he did was give him a questioning look as he wiped cups.  
  
"Yea", said Tristin, noting Joe's expression.  
  
"That's right. Female domination!" said Sara and Rory just stared blankly at her.  
  
"Yea..Okay.." said Sara as she sat. Rory nodded.  
  
"So. How've you guys been?" asked Rory.  
  
"(Sigh) Damien has work piled up on me.. My love life is the least interesting, my sister- who is 2 years younger than me (22) is getting married next month!"  
  
"Huh.. Tristin, what's goin' on with you?" Rory said, turning to Tristin.  
  
"Oh.. Uh, not much and I mean that literally.. Umm I wont even touch the subject of my love life, seeing as there is none.. And yea."  
  
"I see. well so much for that catching up part!." Rory said smiling.  
  
"Yea, well we work fast." Tristin said.  
  
"That we do." Said Sara. They both smiled at each other, as Rory looked from Sara to Tristin, back to Sara, then Tristin. She smiled herself.  
  
For another hour, the three talked until they were all talked out and went home. Sara and Rory were walking to their homes when the discussion of the month came up.  
  
"It's December, isn't it?" asked Sara.  
  
"Yes, yes it is.."  
  
"That's cool.. I love December I think it's the best month!" said Sara.  
  
"Me too, but for the simple fact that I like snow!"  
  
"Yea." Nodded Sara.  
  
"Ya know what also rocks about December and snow?. cuddling in a warm chair by the fire place with a nice cup of coffee!" said Rory.  
  
"Yea.(sigh) well, you're lucky.. You can have someone to 'cuddle' with, if you'd only open your eyes!"  
  
"No I. I don't know; it's so hard to talk to him. It's like he has this other life that I know nothing about because he never talks to me!. I just don't know."  
  
Sara solemnly nodded as they walked in the December cold.  
  
"And besides," said Rory, "I think Tristin has a thing for yooouuu!" she said it nice and slow.  
  
"You think?!"  
  
"I know!"  
  
"Really cause he"-  
  
"Trust me, I know"  
  
"Ok." said Sara extremely unsure.  
  
"I mean come on! I saw the way you too exchanged smiles, plus, I think you'd be good for him."  
  
"Yea, yea. I'll make an effort if you make an effort..!"  
  
"With Tristin?" asked Rory, playing dumb.  
  
"You know who I mean.!"  
  
Rory sighed as she tucked her head down in shame. It wasn't so much as shame just sadness, so much despair that even Sara couldn't realize it. Where would she go? What would she do- what could she do? Every time she tried talking to Jess, she seemed to have gotten nowhere.  
  
Should she try again- and risk the fact of acting foolish. It was impossible! It felt as though all hope had been lost. or at least forgotten. She came to the conclusion that just thinking about it would get her nowhere. The hand of action needed to be enforced. It was crucial that she acted now, because if she didn't, she would have been foolish either way.  
  
Rory looked back up at Sara and said, "Okay, I'll do it."  
  
Sara smiled as she wrapped her arm around Rory. The two walked down the streets of New York until it grew dark.  
  
Rory eventually got home. The living room was dark and its fallow shadiness consumed all grief. Rory flicked the lights on as she glided through the mail.  
  
"Bill, bill, junk, crap, bill, (sigh) my last will and testimony- I was wondering when that was coming in. letter.."  
  
Rory separated the mail on the kitchen bar area as she placed her keys in a ceramic hula girl holding out a fish net. She smiled at the sad (figuratively speaking) little ceramic hula girl, as she remembered exactly where it derived from. her mother.  
  
Thinking of her mother got her thinking about Stars Hollow, and from Stars Hollow, she thought about Jess.. Jess' gift. she didn't open it yet. She went into her bedroom and she opened her drawer where she placed the gift.  
  
Her fingers danced upon the crumpled brown paper. It was heavy and she figured it was a book. She slowly unraveled the paper cover. She smiled sadly as she read the title carefully.  
  
Rory opened the front cover where it read: Why Hemingway? Because you'll never enjoy the finer things in life if you never try.. ~ Jess.  
  
She wanted to cry. Rory decided that she had to see him. It wasn't an option; she truly had to see him. Without thinking twice, she grabbed her handbag and her keys and rushed out the door and into her car.  
  
She drove for what felt like an eternity. It was completely dark when she finally arrived back in Stars Hollow. She drove all the way to the diner. Alt he lights were off. She dismissed that and figured he went to sleep. Rory went around to the back and found the backdoors' key under the doormat. She opened the door and stepped into the hollow darkness. She quietly inched up the stairs and to the apartment. 'What the hell am I doing? I can't just show up!' All these questions and visions had flown into her head. She calmed her fast paced heart and reassured her racing mind. Slowly, Rory opened the door.  
  
She stood by the door until her eyes became acquainted with the steady darkness. She walked to his room and again, slowly opened the door. She sighed sadly at the emptied room. He was gone, yet again. She ran out of the diner and into her car. Rory drove herself to her childhood home. When Rory arrived at the door she couldn't find the key in the ceramic turtle. Out of frustration, she wiped her face with her hands and took in that thick and dreary air.  
  
She walked over to the side of the house where her mothers' room was. Rory started throwing tiny rocks at the lightly lit window. She silently cursed herself as she saw Luke come to the window. The window went up and Luke whispered loudly, "Rory? What're you doing here?"  
  
She three away the question and asked him, "Where's Jess?"  
  
He bowed his head and said, "He went back to California."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Don't get me wrong, but you didn't exactly welcome him with open arms."  
  
Rory nodded and looked away. "I just. I just needed time."  
  
"Here." said Luke as he went over to the nightstand to retrieve his address. Luke crumpled it up and threw it down.  
  
"What's this?" Rory said as she opened it up. She looked up smiling at him and said, "Thanks Luke."  
  
"No problem." he responded.  
  
With that, Rory was gone with the wind.  
  
Rory bought a plane ticket to California. Her seat was by the window. She started to spaz again when she thought, 'what am I going to say? - I hate you, but I'm in love with you? Geez!" When the plane landed, she called a taxi and it took her to the address.  
  
She got out and gazed upon her query sight. It was beautiful. She couldn't believe Jess lived here. It was a lovely old- fashioned house. The way it looked made her think that it came right out of a 60's movie. It was white and it had a white picket fence - and the yard! The yard was simply magnificent, the lush green grass and tulips on the side of the house. Rory couldn't imagine Jess gardening. It made her want to laugh.  
  
She walked up to the fence, her fingers dragged along the white finished fence. She stopped and said; 'no I need time.' she turned around and started walking away.  
  
The wind started to rustle and the leaves around her danced in a swirl. She tucked the loose ends of her hair. By the way the wind was blowing, it looked like it was carrying her, softly into the vicinity of the Venice Beach surrounding area.  
  
Now you're gone  
  
I wonder why you left me here  
  
I think about it on and on again  
  
I know you're never coming back  
  
But I hope that you can hear me  
  
I'm waiting to hear from you  
  
Until I do  
  
You're gone away  
  
I'm left alone  
  
A part of me is gone  
  
And I'm not moving on  
  
So wait for me  
  
I know the day will come  
  
I'll meet you there  
  
No matter where life takes me to  
  
I'll meet you there  
  
And even if I need you here  
  
I'll meet you there  
  
I wish I could have told you  
  
The words I kept inside  
  
But now I guess it's just too late  
  
So many things remind me of you  
  
I hope that you can hear me  
  
I miss you  
  
This is goodbye  
  
One last time  
  
And where I go you'll be there with me  
  
Forever you'll be right here with me  
  
I'll meet you there  
  
No matter where life takes me  
  
I'll meet you there  
  
And even if I need you  
  
I'll meet you there 


	9. It's a Beautiful Day

There it is. His home. She stood there in front of the property, in all its glory. She walked up to the door and braced herself for something big. This could change her life! This could change her. She knocked on the door and yet there was no one answering because no one was home. She grew tired and leaned to her right, against the door, waiting. The heavy bags of sleep hit her hard. She fell asleep against his door. There was a whole burning through her heart. It hurt so much and she knew she couldn't do anything but wait.  
  
Just before the sun was to set and the air got cool and people were going home from their exciting days, Rory still lay there sleeping. Stepping out of his car, Jess drowsily walked to the paved way leading to his front door. He didn't see the sleeping Rory at his door yet. Right when he ached up the 3 tiny steps, to his door, his heart froze. 'How long had she been there? - Was she really there at all, or am I dreaming this all up?'  
  
He quietly walked up the steps and squatted before her sleepy self. He stroked her cheek and brushed back the strands of her angel hair that move smoothly against the wind, gliding freely and kissing her face. Rory slowly stretched and abruptly pulled back when she saw him squatting right before her very eyes. She was having a hard time breathing so she sat up. When she did this, he stood and extended his hand out so she could get up. She took it and dusted her self off. She moved to behind him so he could open the door. Rory stopped, not sure if he wanted her to follow him. With the door wide open and him standing in the foyer, he motioned for her to come in.  
  
The second she stepped into his home, she took in the world he had created for himself. It was how she imagined it. He walked into the kitchen to set his keys down and scurried into his room to put his baggage down. She sat on the couch tucking her legs within her circled arms. Jess watched her from his bedroom. He stood leaning against the doorframe scrutinizing her tiny face. She looked unbothered, but how he was wrong. She looked, very studiously, around the foreign territory.  
  
Everything around her had a little Jess in it, aside from the fact that these were his possessions. He made his way into the living room where a waiting Rory nervously sat. The silence in that very room made the wind outside, from the summer breeze sound deaf. Seeping through the cracks of time, the silence was suddenly intolerable.  
  
"I'm sorry... I should have told you I wasn't going to pass high school. but I'm not sorry I left." Rory looked at him with scrupulosity.  
  
"Because I never would have realized how much I would miss you." he finished.  
  
Her face had softened to a peachy tint. He sat on the opposite side of her on the couch. He faced her and she turned her diminutive body timidly to face him. Childishly, she still had her legs tucked under embraced arms.  
  
"All the days I thought you would finally return were like little pieces of hope in my heart drifting away." She quietly stated. "You never really knew what kind of effect you had on me."  
  
She let go of her legs and her eyes trailed up his tired body to his sad and truthful eyes. "I must've cried at least everyday for about a month."  
  
". See that's the thing. you never really understood why I did these things." Jess said starting to get angry.  
  
"How can you sit there and honestly say that! Swallow your pride and fall back to reality please!" said Rory, snapping back at him.  
  
"I've always wanted to know why you did those things. Did it ever occur to you that you weren't Mr. Share- my feelings- with you? You don't know how many times I've racked my brain- my heart, for answers!" Rory looked down.  
  
"I know I was a crappy boyfriend, but it's useless saying sorry now, you're probably tired of that word."  
  
Rory's fingers begged for Jess' touch. She wanted to hold him and tell him that everything would be fine. She brought her hand to his face. Her touch was like silk against asphalt.  
  
"That words' meaning never dies." she looked at his baby face and crawled over to his side and held him. She sighed. She ran her hand up and down his back while his arms circled her body, engulfing her essence.  
  
"I'm sorry..." was his muffled response. All she did was hold him tighter.  
  
They lay on the couch together. Jess was holding Rory while she rested her hand on his chest. The next morning she woke up to him watching her. He kissed her forehead and she smiled.  
  
"Lets go to the beach." Said Jess.  
  
"I didn't bring a bathing suit. come to think of it, I didn't bring any change of clothes!"  
  
He smiled and said, "Well we can get you some clothes and then we can go."  
  
"Oh all right!" she said getting up.  
  
They hopped into Jess' car and the radio played. It was the Beatles I am the Walrus.  
  
". I am the eggman, they are the eggmen.  
  
I am the walrus, goo goo g'joob.."  
  
"Ya know John Lennon's the walrus." said Rory.  
  
"No he's not! Paul McCartney is!" said Jess, driving to a nearby Wal-Mart.  
  
"He is so! John Lennon is the walrus!"  
  
"No, he's not!" said Jess, slowly.  
  
"Fine! I am the walrus!" said Rory, throwing her hands in the air.  
  
"Goo goo g'joob." Jess whispered leaning close to Rory. They laughed and she shook her head.  
  
Jess pulled into the parking lot of Wal-Mart and they hopped out of the car and walked into the store. Rory walked over to the jeans and shorts section of the store and pulled out a few pairs of shorts; they weren't too short that it made her look hoe-ish, but short enough to be rid of that California heat.  
  
Rory got her shorts and shirts and walked over to the bathing suit section. Jess stood there with his hands in his pockets and smiled.  
  
"Why don't you go look around over there." She said pointing to the men's section.  
  
"That's okay, I'm comfortable here.."  
  
"No, no I think you'd be way more comfortable over there."  
  
"No, I think you would be." Jess said, noting her antsy behavior.  
  
"Fine, but you can't watch me choose." she said.  
  
"Okay." he said nodding.  
  
She began looking for something suitable and not provocative looking. He smiled at how choosy she was.  
  
"Hey! You're watching me!!"  
  
"Ok, ok." he said, putting his hands up in defense.  
  
"Rory, any day now, I mean the sun might set soon."  
  
"It's only 12 in the afternoon- oh I get it." she turned her head away and hid her shame.  
  
"Alright, that's it! I'm choosing for you!" said Jess.  
  
"No, no, I can do it!" she cried.  
  
"I'm sorry, you proved that to be false."  
  
"Come on Jess..!"  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"(Sigh) fine. nothing too.showy.ya know?.just not too"-  
  
"Cheeky?" he finished for her.  
  
"Uh, yea."  
  
He nodded and he pulled out a black bathing suit that was a 2 piece but it covered more than most bathing suits did.  
  
"Here."  
  
"Yea, yea." she said as she grabbed it and went into the fitting room.  
  
A few minutes, actually 7, Jess shouted, "So you gonna come out or what?"  
  
"Uh, no?"  
  
"Wrong answer, out.!"  
  
"I.. Can't."  
  
"(Sigh) Why not?."  
  
"Because.because I can't."  
  
"Fine, but I'll see you in it, one way or another!." Jess said.  
  
"I know, I know."  
  
She got out of the dressing room and he smiled and shook his head.  
  
"I, am ready." she said slowly, walking to the cash register.  
  
"Now she's ready.!" he said to himself.  
  
They finally arrived at the beach. Rory could feel herself slowly sinking into the white sand. She took off her slippers and let the sand rub against her toes. The heart is a bloom  
  
Shoots up through the stony ground  
  
There's no room  
  
No space to rent in this town  
  
You're out of luck  
  
And the reason that you had to care  
  
The traffic is stuck  
  
And you're not moving anywhere  
  
You thought you'd found a friend  
  
To take you out of this place  
  
Someone you could lend a hand  
  
In return for grace  
  
She gazed out at the vastly expanding body of water. The blue in her eyes matched the purity of the ocean.  
  
It's a beautiful day  
  
Sky falls, you feel like  
  
It's a beautiful day  
  
Don't let it get away  
  
She ran into the crashing waves, sinking beneath the misty foam. Jess smiled as he followed suit.  
  
You're on the road  
  
But you've got no destination  
  
You're in the mud  
  
In the maze of her imagination  
  
You love this town  
  
Even if that doesn't ring true  
  
You've been all over  
  
And it's been all over you  
  
Out, she came from under the sheet of water soaked and shinny. Her skin looked glossy as her hair clung tightly to her face.  
  
It's a beautiful day  
  
Don't let it get away  
  
It's a beautiful day  
  
Jess came up. His tanned body clearly matched their current surroundings while Rory stood out like a sore thumb. She didn't care though she was having fun.  
  
Touch me  
  
Take me to that other place  
  
Teach me  
  
I know I'm not a hopeless case  
  
See the world in green and blue  
  
See China right in front of you  
  
See the canyons broken by cloud  
  
See the tuna fleets clearing the sea out  
  
See the Bedouin fires at night  
  
See the oil fields at first light  
  
And see the bird with a leaf in her mouth  
  
After the flood all the colors came out  
  
It was a beautiful day  
  
Don't let it get away  
  
Beautiful day  
  
It truly was a beautiful day. The sky was immaculately blue and the sand was almost as soft as velvet. The sun shimmered into the unfathomable and infinite sea.  
  
Touch me  
  
Take me to that other place  
  
Reach me  
  
I know I'm not a hopeless case  
  
What you don't have you don't need it now  
  
What you don't know you can feel it somehow  
  
What you don't have you don't need it now  
  
Don't need it now  
  
Was a beautiful day  
  
It was a beautiful day.  
  
Rory noticed that Jess was nowhere to be seen. She started to worry as she called his name. He didn't respond. Rory could feel herself being pulled under, but when she wouldn't give in to the mystery being pulling her down, 'it' came up. 'It' was Jess. He laughed uncontrollably as she slapped him.  
  
"Don't you ever do that again you hear me!"  
  
"Yes, mother." he said pulling her out of the water.  
  
His left arm was under her neck and his right arm was under her legs. He carried her out of the water as she yelled, "Jess Mariano, you put me down this instant!. Jess come on! Put me down!!."  
  
He smiled as he laid her down on a towel. She lay there with her arms crossed across her chest.  
  
"Look at me.." he said slowly.  
  
"Not after what you did to me!."  
  
"Aw come on."  
  
"Nope."  
  
He pulled her face to look at his. He smiled as her face softened.  
  
"You're mean, you know that?"  
  
"Of course I do."  
  
"Don't do it again."  
  
He nodded as he came closer to her and kissed her lightly. She couldn't help but smile through the kiss.  
  
"Don't think that you can get away with murder by kissing me!."  
  
"Oh I won't!" he said still kissing her.  
  
'So this is how good life feels.' Rory thought to herself as she lay next to Jess and watched the sun setting into the blue endless ocean. 


	10. Creating Satisfaction

Golden rays of a beaming light trickled through the blinds; breaking through to a new day. Coyly, Rory eyed her surroundings. She was lying on the couch in the living room. She was almost sad at the fact that she wasn't in Jess' arms, but alone in the dimly lit area. Stretching to an upright position, Rory stood and quietly walked to his room. He was in bed basking in the morning light from the windows across the room. Rory observed how he hugged himself; sleeping on the right side of the bed as if to say to Rory, 'the space left here is for you'.  
  
As quietly as she could, she slipped in unnoticed into his bed. She could feel the heat radiating off his curled up body. She then started to worry because she could feel him moving. Rory laid straight and kept her eyes closed tightly; pretending she was invisible. He awoke to find her lying there like a stiff piece of bread, eyes closed shut. He smiled as he turned all the way around the face her.  
  
"Why Ms. Gilmore, how convenient that I should find you here in my bed, pretending to be asleep, when in actuality you aren't."  
  
She turned over to him.  
  
"Well don't we have a smart mouth this morning."  
  
"It's only smart cause' I make it smart!."  
  
"The couch was uncomfortable and I wanted to see if your bed was softer.turns out it is!."  
  
"So you came under the covers and decided you would sleep here?."  
  
"Yes." she said timidly.  
  
"Huh. is it to your liking, Ms. Gilmore?"  
  
"Yes it's to my liking Mr. Mariano!" she said in a dull mocking voice, throwing the covers over her head and turning to her side.  
  
Rory still lay under the covers while Jess slipped out. A yawn departed the lips of a mischievous Jess. He pulled himself out of bed and slumped into the kitchen. Rory could hear a few items being moved around, but dismissed it as Jess just trying to annoy her. Like a snake, the coiled scent of aromatic liquid waft through the air, causing Rory to arise obligingly to the call of coffee. As Rory's drooping body was carried into the kitchen, Jess could do nothing as the corners of his shallow lips pulled vertically to the point of a mocking stance.  
  
"You're mean, you know that?" said Rory, taking a seat at the kitchen table.  
  
"So I've been told."  
  
"Well it doesn't hurt to hear it again!."  
  
Jess shook his head, as the pot of coffee was ready. Jess, tauntingly, hovered the coffee pot and cup over a weak Rory.  
  
"Stop the madness! I demand justice!!" she said throwing down her fist angrily against the wooden kitchen table.  
  
"Only if you say sorry."  
  
"And give you the complete satisfaction? I think I'd read Hemingway instead!."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"No! Are you insane?!"  
  
There was a dreary silence as Rory's head fell into her arms. Jess, giving in, put the cup and coffee pot down and poured some coffee into it. Rory smiled as the cascade of the luscious dark liquid was poured into her cup.  
  
"Aha! I knew you couldn't resist my Gilmore charms!" said Rory taking the cup into her own and inhaling the sweet scent of coffee in the morning.  
  
"Among other things." he whispered, pouring himself a cup of coffee. She blushed and looked away.  
  
Rory thought to herself as she observed every dissimilar object her eyes were attracted by. She wondered what Jess did for a living, so she asked.  
  
"Hey Jess? What exactly do you do for a living?"  
  
"Currently? Well right now, I own a small bookstore. It's nothin' fancy, but I do, however get the finer things in life." He replied. Rory smiled as she nodded knowingly.  
  
"So. What do you feel like doing today?" Rory asked, sipping her coffee.  
  
"Umm, oh I know, lemme take you to this really awesome bookstore/ coffee shop. They got great books."  
  
"Yea sure, that sounds like fun." She said standing up from the coffee table and called over her shoulder, "Just gimme a few minutes to get ready."  
  
"Sure." Jess hollered back.  
  
Rory walked into the living room and to the couch. She picked out a white shirt that said 'If I Throw a Stick, Will you Leave?' and a pair of shorts. Rory stopped and out of the blue, looked around her. This was Jess's world; everything had a little part of him. What would she do now? Where do they stand? She pushed those unearthly thoughts away as she changed in the bathroom. When she finished she walked back out into the kitchen and said, "All done."  
  
Jess responded with, "Okay, gimme a few minutes." Rory nodded as he went into his bedroom and shut the door. Rory patiently waited in the kitchen, sipping the remains of her coffee. She gazed sadly at the cup of coffee as Jess emerged from his bedroom in a pair of tattered old jeans and a white shirt.  
  
"Okay." said Jess and Rory nodded as she finished off her coffee.  
  
They walked out of the house and across the street. Rory was unnervingly silent. Jess gave her a side ways glance and she didn't even acknowledge his ungraceful stare. Rory gazed at her feet as they carried her to the bookstore. Without even thinking, Rory blurted out the one thing that was on her mind at that moment.  
  
"Jess? What happens now?" The words so silent, it was almost as if they didn't exist.  
  
While every sadden thought dawned on him, he still held up his guard.  
  
"Whatever you want to happen." he took her hand in his and held it tight. They both pulled to a stop. The warm touch of his hand against hers, sent shivers through her entire body.  
  
Indecisive drops of salty hate had trickled down her cheek. Jess' hand reached up to her face and washed them away. He thought that if that single tear were to have fallen, the world would have cracked open and cried.  
  
"I want. I want you with me. but. I don't know.- I just don't know.I don't.- I don't want to sound selfish, but that's what I want."  
  
Unanimously, the fear in her heart had won and all the tears were falling uncontrollably.  
  
"What do you want to happen.?" she asked and with all the sincerity his voice could offer, he said,  
  
"I want you. I've always wanted you. I never wanna leave your side again. everything doesn't make sense when you aren't with me. I wanna wake-up next to you. I wanna share everything with you. I want everything with you."  
  
Every being or living creature went silent, the wind stopped hustling, the soft sounds of her whimpering were dismissed, the incessant chatter constantly battling for her hearts desire had frozen, until she spoke.  
  
"But we live in 2 different worlds, you have everything here and all I have is an overpriced apartment and a single bed." The tears and cries came about again.  
  
"I don't care about my life here. I care about you, I don't want to lose you again just because we live in 2 different places."  
  
The silence encased the house and the 2 just stood there on the sidewalk looking anywhere and everywhere but the others eyes. "So. we both want the same thing.but what do we do?" He stood still and his eyes were focused on the ground.  
  
"I'll more to New York, if that's what it takes to be with you." he said.  
  
"I can't let you leave California for me, you have a life here. I don't want to take that away from you."  
  
"You'll only make me happy if you're with me."  
  
"So you mean, you'd give all of this up for me?." Rory said, gesturing to their surroundings.  
  
"Yes! God I would swim the Mississippi for you!"  
  
"Let's now get carried away now."  
  
Jess' eyes led him to where they became one. Their fingers were laced with the others' hands. He held her closer to him and he kissed her soft and sweetly.  
  
"Now, I'm tellin' ya, this bookstore's the best!. Remember the time you came to New York after the uh ahem. and we went to that record store and that guy that worked their was like a walking and talking encyclopedia on every punk, metal, and garage band? The guy that works at this bookstore we're going to now, has twice the mileage on the freak scale; he probably knows more than the internet does." Said Jess as they walked down the sidewalk.  
  
"No one knows more than the internet!.." said Rory folding her arms as Jess slipped his arm around her waist.  
  
"Oh how little you know." he whispered in her ear as the two walked hand in hand to the bookstore. 


	11. Squirrels, the Leading Rodent in America

"Are we there yet?" Rory asked, shrugging her upper body as she walked next to Jess.  
  
"No." Jess said, exasperated.  
  
"How bout' now?" Rory said, smiling.  
  
"No!"  
  
"Now?"  
  
"No! For crying out loud!"  
  
"Shesh, don't get your panties caught in a bunch!"  
  
Jess shook his head as they continued walking.  
  
"Geez, how far is this place, I feel like I've walked through the entire state.  
  
"You're embellishing. we haven't walked that much..!"  
  
"Why thank you Sherlock, for clearing that up!."  
  
Jess rolled his eyes as Rory laughed and took his hand into her own.  
  
5 minutes later:  
  
"Finally! I knew we should've driven!!" said Rory as her and Jess walked into the coffee/ bookshop.  
  
"Yes, but then we wouldn't have these precious Kodak moments to remember!"  
  
"Kodak moments my"-  
  
"Hey, c'mon, you gotta admit, it was pretty funny!"  
  
"Hey! That squirrel came on to me!"  
  
"(Laughing hysterically) yea, you'd like to think that wouldn't you. (Laughing continues) and then you tried to shake him off, but he wouldn't let go! (Laughing continues)."  
  
"My leg hurts, I think he bit me!"  
  
"No he didn't."  
  
"Yea? Well why is my leg red, huh?"  
  
"Maybe cause' you threw rocks at it.!"  
  
"Thus proves my theory that he bit me after throwing rocks at it!"  
  
"He didn't bite you!"  
  
"I want shots, vaccinations, medications, what ever it takes, ASAP!"  
  
"Calm down, 'Mrs. Plays- with- Squirrels." Jess said, quoting 'Boy Meets World'.  
  
"You think you're funny?"  
  
"Dead funny!" said Jess, correcting her.  
  
"Try having a squirrel attach itself to your leg! Then you can tell me how 'dead funny' it is!"  
  
"You're right, it's not so funny." said Jess.  
  
"Thaatttss right!"  
  
"It's hilarious, laughter to the point of my own organs imploding into nothing!" Jess said, laughing yet again.  
  
Rory shook her head as she said, "Men."  
  
They sat at a table by the window. The waitress came up to them and said, "Good afternoon, how may I help you today?"  
  
"Oh, I'll have.." Rory said, eyeing the menu, "the chocolate, chocolate late and a chocolate cookie." she said as she smiled at the waitress, who smiled back.  
  
"Ookay, and you sir?"  
  
"I'll have the same only no cookie.."  
  
She nodded while jotting down the orders and walking away.  
  
When they received their orders Jess took a sip of the late and gazed out the window and said, "Look, squirrel!"  
  
"What?!" said Rory, frantically.  
  
"Oh that look is just priceless!"  
  
"You're mean!" Rory said, throwing a piece of her cookie at him.  
  
"So you keep reminding me."  
  
"Punk." Rory muttered almost under her breath.  
  
"What was that? I love you? Why Rory Gilmore, I love you too!."  
  
Rory blushed as she averted her gaze away from Jess.  
  
"Rory, I was kidding, I mean, wait"-  
  
"It's okay Jess." From there, that conversation was dismissed.  
  
A few minutes had passed:  
  
"Hey, lets go look at the books.." said Rory getting up.  
  
"Sure." said Jess, following closely behind her.  
  
"Look, Lonesome Traveler, Kerouac." said Jess.  
  
"Huh. nothin' like reading a book by an author who was most likely stoned while writing it and had some unresolved editing issues."  
  
"I think so." said Jess nodding in unison with Rory.  
  
"I'm gonna grab this and go sit back by the window.:  
  
"The window.?"  
  
"Yes. is that a problem?"  
  
"The squirrels." Rory explained in her whiny voice.  
  
"Rory c'mon, they aren't going to retaliate against you."  
  
"How do you know? Have you been coinciding with the enemy?" "No." Jess said, feigning anything but innocence. "C'mon.. Hey I have a phobia too."  
  
"Really?" Rory said incredulously. "The almighty, fearless, one- of- a- kind, Jess has a phobia?"  
  
"Yes." Jess said in a dry tone.  
  
"So, what is it? Is it like gnomes er something?"  
  
"No, but gnomes are defiantly creepy!"  
  
"I agree!. well, what is it?"  
  
"If I tell you, you can't laugh!"  
  
"Yea, yea. however, you know that I am more than likely to do so, right?"  
  
"You wouldn't be Rory Gilmore if you didn't."  
  
"What's that suppose to mean?"  
  
"Nothin'. do you wanna know or not?"  
  
"Give it to me straight up!"  
  
"Alright, alright.(sigh) mimes." said Jess deeply bellow a whisper.  
  
"Excuse me." Rory said, as the laughter was stirred cautiously in her stomach.  
  
"I already told you! I'm sorry, I don't do repeats."  
  
"(Laughing) did you say mimes? (Laughing continues)."  
  
"(Sigh) they're really scary! They don't make a damn sound and they look like they fell into a tub of powder. And the box! What's with the friggin' box they're always in? It's just too damn creepy for me!"  
  
" Mimes?! Oh Jess, it's so cute that you're afraid of mimes!"  
  
"Hey! You're afraid of squirrels!"  
  
"Does that make me cute?"  
  
"A little."  
  
"A little?!"  
  
"A lot!"  
  
"A lot, a lot?"  
  
"A lot, a lot!!"  
  
"A"-  
  
"You're pushin' it.!"  
  
"Well I'll just have to take my business elsewhere!."  
  
"What about me?" Jess said, almost pleadingly.  
  
"Tough love, baby!"  
  
Jess smile as he wrapped his arms around her waist. She leaned in and kissed her nose.  
  
"C'mon, lets get out of here. I'm getting' tired." Said Jess as Rory nodded and they walked out of the shop feeling nothing but content. 


	12. Guess Who's Back, Back Again, Blondie's ...

The next day Jess, unfortunately, had to go to work and that got Rory thinking about her own job. Instead she got up, got dressed, peered through the kitchen. She sighed in frustration when learning that Jess didn't have quick meals in the kitchen. She sat, for the longest time, contemplating on what to do about breakfast. She walked into the living room and found that on the couch was a note taped to it that read,  
  
Morning Sleeping Beauty- er shall I say, AFTERNOON, cause' we all know that you wont get up in the morning, but in the afternoon. -  
  
"That's not true!! It's 11:45, it's still morning for 45 more minutes!" she said to herself.  
  
(Continuation of the note) And if you think that, that small amount of time left that you consider 'morning' is morning, you're wrong!.. Just kidding.. Any ways, I know there isn't any kind of food you can make in a second but that's why I'm coming home in a few minutes.I think.. er.. 11:30, there! So don't even think about touching the stove or the oven! I'll know if you burnt something or even tried to make something! So I'll see you soon. Any longer and this wouldn't be a note, it'd be a novel!!  
  
-Jess  
  
Rory smiled as she folded the note and placed it into her pocket. She waited patiently for Jess' arrival. It was only 15 minutes, but it felt like forever. The second Rory heard that key slide into the keyhole, she leapt off of the couch where she was lounging away and ran to the door.  
  
"Jess!" Rory yelled as she lunged forward and wrapped her arms around his neck.  
  
"Hey." He said shakily, trying to keep his balance. "I don't have time to make anything so I'm gonna take you out to this quaint café.. Sound good?"  
  
"Perfect!"  
  
They walked out the door and down the boardwalk.  
  
"Jess!" a voice so distant, yet familiar all the same, called out. Jess dismissed it as nothing. "Jess!!" the same voice shouted louder. Both Jess and Rory turned around and to more of Rory's surprise than Jess', a face shunned eagerly away from when they all were younger, a face Rory hoped she'd never have to see again, a face that captured Jess and held him away from her.  
  
"Shane?" Jess said as he stood there frozen solid. His feet were planted in the ground and he could not move. That stupid David Bowie song, Space Oddity, played in his head.  
  
-GROUND CONTROL TO MAJOR TOM-  
  
(Ground control being his feet and major tom being his head)  
  
-GROUND CONTROL TO MAJOR TOM-  
  
Rory sighed heavily as she let go of Jess's hand and crossed her arms across her chest and looked lost into the vast ocean on the side of the boardwalk.  
  
"Huh." was all Jess could say.  
  
So there you had a shocked and confused Jess, an annoyed and tired Rory, and an eager and dainty- looking Shane.  
  
'Shane..' Rory whispered in her head.  
  
She closed her eyes as she saw herself throwing flaming darts at Shane's head- 'scratch that' she thought, 'a picture of Shane's head, I'm not that mean!. maybe it's just a dream, am I still sleeping? No cause' I'm hungry! Can a person be hungry in their sleep? Maybe, huh, if I think really, really hard I can- (gasp) Luke's burgers! Oh joy, oh rapture- (she opened her eyes and said) "Oh crap," out loud as she saw Shane's face and her standing as if she own the world.  
  
'Omigosh, did I just say oh crap out loud? - In front of Shane? What the hell is wrong with me? I know! Food deprivation! I need food for cryin' out loud!'  
  
Rory smiled a weak smile as Shane shot Rory a few of her own flaming darts. Jess saw the angry interaction so he spoke up.  
  
"So!." He began. Both separated their glares slowly. "Um uh, what. what brings you here?" said Jess.  
  
"Oh." Shane said, all preppy. "Believe it or not, I have a job! I work as a receptionist for some company here."  
  
"Huh, that's .really-a, wow."  
  
'Great now she's adopted a brain!' Thought Rory.  
  
"Yea, it's hard work, but it's a lot of fun."  
  
"Yea. said Jess, excessively nodding his head. "Yea." He repeated.  
  
"Ahem!" Rory said as she attempted to smoothly clear her throat.  
  
"Oh!" Said Jess, windin' up the juke- box- of a brain. "Um, Shane, you remember Rory, don't you?"  
  
"Yes. how could I forget?." 'Oh the hidden meaning in that one sentence!' Rory slapped an evil look smile Shane's way.  
  
"So, Rory, what is it that you do?"  
  
"I work at the New York Times!"  
  
'Thaaattt's right, I'm gonna smother every single thing that I do in your face!'  
  
"New York. huh, Jess live here and you live in New York. That's too bad, long distance relationships hardly ever work!"  
  
Before Rory could spit out something nasty at Shane, Jess said,  
  
"Oh, I'm- a, moving to New York now, but I'm keeping the house. it'll be.. like.. a.. summer.. thing.." Jess' words slowly separated as Shane and Rory had mental boxing matches.  
  
The Rocky song played in his head as he saw Shane take a swing at Rory.in his mind.. That brought him back to reality.  
  
"So," Jess said, breaking the ice wall that had formed in between Rory and Shane. At the sound of Jess' voice, the wall shattered. Rory actually looked to the side of her where she imagined the wall was.  
  
"We have to go, I gotta get back to work soon."  
  
"Oh, okay." Said Shane. "Well if you get the chance, call me." and with that, she handed Jess her card.  
  
'Well that wasn't at all rude!' said Rory to herself. 'I hate Shane, I hate Shane, I hate Shane!'  
  
As if he knew what she was thinking, Jess said, "C'mon, coffee should take care of that."  
  
"Take care of what?"  
  
"That heavy loud." Jess said, motioning the verbal and mental massacre that occurred not so long ago.  
  
She smiled faintly as they got breakfast.  
  
Rory thought to herself and said, 'I'm sure that this isn't the end of little Miss Blondie back there.' she sighed and looked over to Jess who smiled at her. 


	13. AN

Hookay, im gonna take my time writtin the rest of this since im not getting so many reviews, and I need them so I know where to go with this sooo.yea and it helps with my esteem issues. b/c what many ppl don't realize is that when u review it lets the author know that there are ppl reading the damn thing so I dunno, maybe im hysterical over this entire thing but I'd just like to finish this since its going down the pooper..umm I dunno when ill update next but yea.if u gimme ideas for where to go with this I should get this done sooner er later. thanx a bunch.. 


	14. Stage of Innocence

"Strawberry!"  
  
"Chocolate!!"  
  
"Strawberry!!"  
  
"But I want chocolate!"  
  
"Trust me, strawberry is 10 times better than chocolate."  
  
"Fine!" Rory said as she walked up to the cashier.  
  
"Strawberry shortcake please."  
  
"(Sound of the cash register being opened) that'll be $2.57."  
  
Rory handed the cashier her money, while the cashier handed Rory her shortcake. They walked to a table and sat by the window to a table and sat by the window.  
  
"This is so not breakfast!" Rory said, picking up her fork and eying the cheesecake at different angles.  
  
"But you so don't care, and when did you turn all 'Valley Girl' on me?"  
  
"Turn and face the strange, ch- ch- changes!" Rory sang.  
  
"It's like David Bowie singing songs that relate to my life!" Jess said in wonderment.  
  
"What?" Rory asked, completely confused.  
  
"Nothing." he said.  
  
Rory dismissed it as she carefully eyed the strawberry shortcake.  
  
"It's good, I promise!"  
  
Rory sniffed it and slowly scrapped a piece of the desert onto her fork and into her mouth. She chewed the sugary sweetness as Jess watched and waited for a reaction. She gave none.  
  
"Well?." he asked.  
  
"It's good." Rory said ordinarily.  
  
"Just good?"  
  
"Well it's no chocolate," she said, glaring at Jess, "But it's good."  
  
Nodding his head, he responded with, "Good."  
  
"Good." Rory repeated. Out of nowhere she said, "Jess?. I a... I have to go back to New York.."  
  
"Oh." Jess said as he sat back.  
  
"I need to clarify a few things with my boss and pick up a few things I might need while on vacation."  
  
"Oh. so I guess I should wrap up things at my work."  
  
Rory looked away; she felt bad. She felt like she was taking everything away from him.  
  
"Once that's done, I gotta start packing like a mad- man!"  
  
She looked up at him and he smiled. After that, Rory finished her cheesecake and Jess went back to work to tell his boss that he was leaving so he had to quit. Rory went back to the house and started packing his clothes and books.  
  
When jess got home, he called out,  
  
"Honey, I'm home!"  
  
Rory ran out of the room and lunged with full force, his way. She hugged him and if she hugged him any harder is eyes would pop out.  
  
"Rory..!" he gasped out loud.  
  
"Oh, sorry.." she said smiling. He brushed his clothes smoothly and smiled.  
  
"I already started packing your bags." Rory said.  
  
"Oh, okay." He said smiling as she hugged him again.  
  
It was about 2 in the afternoon so they both decided to go to the beach, one last time.  
  
The beach was just as beautiful the first time Rory saw it. They sat at a shady part, under an overcastting tree. Rory leaned on Jess as they sat there perfectly still; just watching the waves crash onto the sandy shore.  
  
Suddenly, flying in from a distance was a beach ball, heading their way. It fell into Jess' lap. He picked it up as he gazed around for the owner of the ball. Sure enough, the keeper of the ball had sauntered her way down the beach, shooing away tiny grains of sand that fly past her creamy skin.  
  
"Sorry, I so didn't see where I threw that! - Oh hey Jess!.. Fancy meeting you here!"  
  
"Yea, quite fancy.. On the verge of refined."  
  
What Rory wouldn't give to slap that smile off Blondie's face; instead she sat there arms crossed, looking anywhere but her way.  
  
"Hey Jess, there's a local band playing at this place I know, do you wanna come?. oh.. You can come too Rory.. If you want to."  
  
"Uh." Jess said, gazing over at Rory.  
  
Barely a whisper, Rory responded with, "Yea.. Sure. I don't care." flailing her arms around, they soon found their place back on her lap as her eyes returned longingly into the deep blue ocean.  
  
"Okay, I guess we're going..!" he looked to the side of Rory for a second clarification, but she gave none.  
  
She felt like her heart was hurting and her mind was over worked. She needed to take a drastic course of action. An action so drastic that she will knock both Jess and Shane off their heels. Mouths will drip open and eyes will sag into eternity's blissful remorse called payback. Pay back for every jerk, idiot, or crack head he testified to her innocence. No, she wasn't going to turn 'whore' in one night, but she wasn't going to sit back and take in every little disturbance, that being Shane, that came her way.  
  
Shane had jotted down an address and said she would meet them there at 7:50, 10 minutes before the band started playing.  
  
Jess was somewhat worried about Rory. He watched her as she read her book and she could feel his burning gaze on her. It was now 4:13 and Rory stood up.  
  
Jess stared over at her as she stood, looking down at him.  
  
"I need to go. somewhere. I'll meet you at that bar place where we're meeting Shane."  
  
"Oh.. Okay. so I'll see you later then."  
  
"Yep." and Rory gathered her things and left. She called a cab and it took her to a local mall. While walking through the mall, she called her mom.  
  
"Red or black?"  
  
"For?" her mom responded.  
  
"Clothes."  
  
"oOo lingerie?."  
  
"Dirty!"  
  
"What? I need entertainment and I get that by living vicariously through your life."  
  
"Dresses or skirts mother!" she said with an emphasis on mother.  
  
"What for? Cocktail party, party- party, keg party, small gathering party, or a bar/ pub/ nightclub party?"  
  
"Last one."  
  
"To tease, seduce, show- off, or casual."  
  
"Show off.. You have way too much experience in this department."  
  
"I wouldn't be me if I didn't."  
  
"So your verdict would be..?"  
  
"Well if you're calling me from California, asking me about what to wear to wherever you're going, then it means you want to show off. wanna tell me what's wrong?"  
  
". No. I. I just don't want to be stuck at stage innocence."  
  
"Maybe stage innocence isn't bad, but neither is change."  
  
"You're right."  
  
"How bout' you wear a knitted shady white top with a v- neck." said Lorelai.  
  
"Now that sounds a little more 'Rory'!"  
  
"Okay, now go make me proud!"  
  
"Thanks mom.."  
  
"No problem.."  
  
They soon hung up and Rory paid for the clothes. She stopped into a bathroom and got ready. It wasn't the best place to do so, but she wanted to woo Jess. It was 6:30 and she didn't really have any place to go; so she went to a bookstore. Sitting in the middle of the literature isle, she pulled a few books off the shelves and read.  
  
It grew dark outside and Rory looked at her watch. It read 7:10. She sighed and got up. Aimlessly walking, Rory found herself at the boardwalk. She leaned on her elbows as her eyes rode across the misty water. The almost full moon shot a shimmering glare upon the deep blue liquid. She stayed there until 7:30 and by then, she walked to the bar where she would meet Jess and sadly, Shane. 


	15. Better Off with Change

Disclaimer: I own no one.  
  
A/N: yea I know I haven't updated in forever, so here.  
  
When she arrived at the bar/pub/nightclub, Rory braced herself for what would be, a 'stomach full of butterfly's' moment. She slowly made it into the crowded area and began searching for him. Rory found him at the counter with a drink in hand and a blonde in the other, so to speak.  
  
She walked over to the two, praying that every pore on her body was oozing with confidence. She came up to them both and coolly said, "Hey."  
  
Jess's eyes pierced hers as he cracked a smile. Shane on the other hand looked as though Rory had trampled on her parade. Jess eyed Rory from head to toe and said, "You look nice."  
  
"Thanks," she said as she moved around the two and up to the bartender. Jess watched with curiosity.  
  
"Bloody Mary, please," Rory said. Jess looked somewhat surprised, but Rory brushed it away. The bartender passed Rory her drink as she sipped it and placed it back on the counter to engage herself in conversation.  
  
Just then the band started playing and Shane screamed over to Jess, "Wanna dance?"  
  
Jess looked over to Rory who looked like she hadn't been paying very much attention to him at all and said, "Yea," when Rory didn't even look his way.  
  
Shane smiled giddily and led him to the center of commotion. Rory sighed sadly as she knew it was her fault; she could of given him some kind of indication that she didn't want him to be anywhere near Shane. She turned back to her drink and smiled at it. She took a heavier gulp down, even though it was just a Bloody Mary. She called the bartender again and asked for a Blue Hawaii, this time.  
  
A guy a little older than Rory, by a year or so, came up to her and smiled. She smiled back as she stared at him. He had black hair, 'just like Brandon Boyd's hair from Incubus,' she thought. She looked at his eyes; they looked like pits of madness. She felt as though she had fallen in them. They were as black as his hair.  
  
She smiled as he said, "Hi, I'm-a....... I'm James," he said as he extended his hand out to her.  
  
"I'm Rory, it's nice to meet you," she said, shaking his hand while she held on to the Blue Hawaii in the other.  
  
"So uh, what brings you here. I haven't seen you here before," he asked, seating himself next to her.  
  
"Him," she said simply, as she pointed to Jess who was a little too close to Shane, while they were standing close to the stage, somewhat moshing (A/N: hope I didn't spell that wrong).  
  
"I see," he said, kinda sadly.  
  
"N-yep!" she said, taking another sip from the Blue Hawaii.  
  
"So you're not from here are you?"  
  
"N-nope!"  
  
He nodded his head. She looked at him, and saw what looked like lost interest in her. But why would she care? She didn't, that's for sure.  
  
"So you live here?" she asked him, trying to make conversation.  
  
"Yea, just by the boardwalk," he said smiled.  
  
'(Gasp) he smiles like Brandon Boyd too!' she thought.  
  
"I hafta ask........ Why are you here with him, when he's here with her?" James said pointing to Shane.  
  
She sighed as she responded with, "Because I love him....... And so does she...... but I don't think she loves him as much as I do........"  
  
He nodded, this time his sadness was evident, but he wasn't too sad that he had made a friend, kind of.  
  
"Yea....... He knows I love him, and I know he loves me...... but we just aren't there yet............ we would've been if it weren't for her......." She said, sadness dripping from her words.  
  
"So go do something about it," he suggested.  
  
"(Sigh) I'm not much of a risk taker, I usually sit back and wait for things to come to me or just wait for them to happen........"  
  
"Well, if you love this guy as much as you say, then I think you should do something about it..........."  
  
"Ya know, for a guy I just met and hardly know, you're right!"  
  
"Glad to be of service," he said as he smiled. She smiled back.  
  
Later that night, Rory still hadn't seen much of Jess, but she kept herself busy by talking to James. He was very funny and smart.  
  
Jess and Shane were coming out of the crowd, when Jess saw Rory talking to another guy. She was laughing like he hadn't seen her laugh, ever.  
  
Rory's laughter subsided as she lightly smacked James's leg.  
  
"I can't believe you puked on your girlfriends car! That's too funny......." She said as Jess and Shane came up to them.  
  
She sighed from all the laughter and looked over at Jess. He seemed to be glaring at the new guy.  
  
"Hey Rory," Jess said, trying to shape his ground.  
  
"Jess," she simply stated.  
  
Rory looked at her watch and realized that it was almost one. She hopped off the stool at the counter and said to Jess and Shane, "I think I'm going to go home now, I'm really tired....... It was nice meeting you James," she said as she smiled.  
  
"You too Rory, do you want a ride home?" he asked.  
  
"That's okay, I can walk from here," she said as she looked at Jess on her last words.  
  
James nodded as Rory walked away.  
  
"I'm gonna go use the bathroom, I'll be right back," Shane said.  
  
Jess nodded as he took the seat over from Rory's and sat down.  
  
"You know she loves you right?" James asked.  
  
"Shane?!" He responded with.  
  
"No, Rory," he said calmly.  
  
There was silence. Jess then said, "Does she know I love her?"  
  
James nodded and said, "Go after her, she's probably not that far away."  
  
Jess didn't waste time, he ran after her, leaving Shane in the restroom. Jess saw her as she walked in the darkness with the street lamps providing her path.  
  
"Rory," he shouted to her. She turned back to him and stopped so he could catch up to her.  
  
"I love you," he said as he lunged towards her and kissed her with such passion, that it almost seemed illegal to be doing this out on the street.  
  
She kissed him back and said, "I love you too."  
  
The night enveloped the two as they walked back to Jess's house.  
  
'I guess this is the end of stage innocence..... But I'm better off with change,' she thought as they walked in silence.  
  
REVIEW!! 


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